I Could Never Fear You
by roseofmyheart
Summary: Belle is a seemingly normal girl but on her first day of high school she catches the eye emotionless Gaara. At the same time though her innocence attracts heap loads of trouble. Can Gaara handle it? rated M for later.OCC
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

It was just another sunny day outside in the morning, with most of the students socializing and having fun before class starts. One student however was inside, in his homeroom waiting for this boring same old day to start. Sabaku no Gaara was that one student. He watches the clock absent minded every morning, alone. Well sometimes one of his friends comes in to give him some company, where it's not really needed. _'Another boring day, at this boring school. At least the academy in Suna had at least one good fight a day...this sucks.'_ Sighing Gaara gets out a pencil, some paper and starts doodling random junk. Well not totally random as far as doodles go. Gaara usually stays in the same genres. Fighting, gore and horror, nothing fancy.

"Now sweet heart I want you to have a fun day at school and make some new friends ok?" Belle looks out the window of her father's car barely hearing what her father said. She looks to her father her eyes showing her nervousness. Belle had been home schooled all her life and lived in an area where there weren't really any kids to play with or grow up with. "Don't worry B. I promise to come visit you as much as I can but with my business taking off in the other nations I have to be there to get things set up." Her father tries to comfort her, knowing she will be all alone in that big house for weeks, maybe even months. He hopes his daughter will make good choices, especially in her friends. In her father's eyes she was a very smart and talented student. She'll be fine. Belle looks back out the window at all the other students wondering in the back of her mind _'Why a frickn' ninja school? I'm terrified or petrifiyed of fighting.'_ "Belle?" she looks back to her father again. "Everything will be alright." Her father says reassuring her with a smile.

She smiles back weakly and nods saying in her light shy voice "Ok D. Love you." She gives her father one last kiss and hugs him tightly knowing it is the last till they meet again. Picking up her bag with four binders filled neatly with papers, a pencil case and lunch bag, noticing the minute it's on it is pretty heavy. Before closing her door to the car she looks back at her father smiling and using her louder regular voice that she uses with people she knows "Bye Dad." Smiling back at his fifteen year old daughter he says one last time

"Bye Belle and remember, no matter what, I love you." As soon as the door was closed her father drives off waving good bye. Belle's smile fades the further the car gets. She turns to face Kahona High. A wave of worry crosses onto her face.

Belle enters the main front doors and spies the office immediately. Walking in a lady with short black hair looks up at her. "Hello there. I believe you are our new student? I haven't seen you around here so I guess you are. I'm Shizune. You're...Isabella Aria?" Shizune asks all cheerful and smiling.

Belle smiles weakly and replies quietly "Yes, but I prefer Belle." Shizune almost didn't hear her, but knew it was just the nerves.

"Here's your schedule, a map and a note your father wanted handed in to your gym teacher, Kurenai Sensei. Well that's just about it Belle. So have a wonderful day!" Shizune finishes smiling happily at Belle. Belle nods, looking at the time she heads off to her home room class. _'Let's see...first class math room 20A Irukia Sensei. Ok, here's room 18A...19A...ok here it is room 20A.' _Belle stops at her first class door looking in through the window briefly seeing all the students already seated. _'Shoot! Now people are going to look at me.'_ Before the teacher could start Belle knocked on the door and was told to come in.

Math class had started and Irukia Sensei was about to assign an assignment. Everyone groans. Usually all the assignments were so fucking long. Gaara hated them so much; they always took so long even for the genius student Shikamaru. Shikamaru was more of a strategist than math genius. Then there was a knock at the door. Perfect timing. Irukia told the person to come in and in walked this girl with brown curly hair held back in a pony tail with curled bangs framing her face. Gaara sensed her nervousness. She was wearing a grey t-shirt, black capri's and a navy spring jacket, undone, with the sleeves rolled up. The girl scanned the class quickly then turned to Irukia. "OH! You must be our new student...Isabella right?" Irukia asks.

She nods her head once and says in a quiet shy voice, kind of like Hinata's but with no stutter, "Yes, but I prefer to be called Belle." Everyone almost missed it because it sounded more like a whisper than anything else.

"Well ok Belle. I'm Irukia Sensei and I was about to hand out a math assignment that is due next day or if you can the end of the period. Since it's your first day you don't have to do the 8 double sided sheets I've had prepared if you don't want to." Irukia offered.

Belle shook her head saying with a little more volume feeling more comfortable by the minute "No I'll take the assignment Irukia Sensei." Everyone looks at like she's nuts, a chance _**not**_ to do the assignment, and she takes it anyway. Gaara stares at her then notices that the only seat left was the one empty seat on his right. No one was on his left, because he chose to sit in the back corner of the class. Irukia smiles handing her the sheets and points to the seat beside Gaara.

"There's an empty seat beside Gaara near the back corner." Irukia says to her.

Belle takes the sheets smiling and looks at the empty seat beside this red head sitting in the back corner. _'He must be Gaara.'_ Belle thinks to herself. She sees him looking at her, but then again most of the boys were. It was very disconcerting. Walking up the aisle she takes her seat beside Gaara placing the assignment on the desk while she rummages through her bag for her pencil case. She just catches Irukia saying that you can talk to your neighbour for help or offer it. Immediately she starts working at a nice pace rhythm. The pencil scratches down calculations, equations and answers on the sheets of paper before her. Everything was coming very easily for she already knew this and understood everything perfectly. In order to concentrate Belle blocks out all sounds and noises, focusing on the sheets of paper in front of her. Unbeknownst to her several boys, besides Gaara, tried talking to her but soon realized after seeing how focused she was that she couldn't hear a single word they said. Gaara was fairly amused by this. He wondered how his brother would fare if he tried flirting with Belle while she did math.

It was about 40 mins into the class with about 25 mins remaining. Gaara was only half way through the assignment. Belle on the other hand was already done and just checking through her answers a second time making sure everything was done and done correctly. She silently stood up and walked down the aisle with a completed assignment in her hands, trying to ignore the stares from her classmates following her as she went. Placing the sheets on Irukia's desk she says softly "I'm done Irukia Sensei." Irukia looks up from his book to see Belle standing in front of him and an assignment completed on his desk.

"Did you double check?" Irukia asks not sure if he could believe that a student finished a math assignment before the period was over. Belle nodded. "Um...well, ok then I guess you have some free time then. Go back to your seat and do something or help a classmate with it." Irukia says to Belle wondering what would she consider a challenge.

Belle nods again and starts heading up towards her seat beside Gaara, but before she gets there, a spike haired blonde boy in an orange jumpsuit calls out "HEY BELLE!" She turns to look at the blonde boy who she now noticed had these amazing blue eyes. "Do you think you can help me with this?" The boy asks pleadingly.

"Um...sure." Belle answers in her shy voice. By the time math class was finished she found out that the boy was named Naruto and he understood the math better and made Belle feel a lot more comfortable making her laugh practically the whole time and coaxed her out of her shy voice...at least around him anyway. Gaara starred at Belle with slight interest and glared somewhat at Naruto. Belle seemed unafraid of Gaara which was unusual. Most of the students here were afraid of him. Gaara somewhat glared at Naruto because he was getting close to her even if it is very little.

'_Wait since when do I care if a girl gets close to anyone. I've seen plenty of girls get close to guys and didn't care one bit, but this girl...'_ Gaara was still unsure of his interest in this seemingly normal female, but shrugs it off and gathers up his things. Belle returns to her seat as well to get her bag. She snatches a quick glance over at Gaara seeing him strap this huge thing to his back. He notices her stare as she puts on her bag.

"What?" Gaara asks annoyed, his eyes slightly glaring. Belle flinches. Gaara was very intimidating, but...he was also very handsome. His unruly red hair, sea foam green eyes standing out from the black circles around his eyes.

She blushes lightly explaining "Sorry Gaara. I was just curious on what that thing was you have on your back." Belle looks at him with her mix between blue and green eyes hoping for an answer.

"It's a gourd." Gaara says then walks away, being the first out of the room. Belle heads to the door and looks at her schedule seeing that she has gym class next.

Belle finds the gym and walks in seeing all the other girls and a tall black haired lady with red eyes. She notices that the girls were in her earlier math class that morning. "Ah you must be Isabella or according to Shizune you liked to be called Belle. Well I'm Kurenai Sensei and I'll be your gym teacher. Here's a gym uniform. We'll all be running track or long distance today." Kurenai says smiling and rolls her eyes as all the girls groan. Taking the uniform Belle heads into the girls' change room putting on the white t-shirt and black shorts, both loose so they feel comfortable to exercise in. She grabs the note for Kurenai, but before heading back into the gym, Belle latches on her waist a very discrete looking pouch. Walking into the gym she sees everyone stretching.

"Kurenai Sensei... I have a note that my father wanted me to give to you." Belle says in her quiet voice.

Kurenai takes the note and reads it over. "Hmm...So you aren't going to join us in any sparing huh? Well ok." Putting away the note she continues and calls to the rest of the class "Ok everybody outside and start running!" all the girls exit the gym through some back doors onto a very large track. In the field next to the track the boys were playing a game of flag football. The girls start jogging the track and Belle was one of them. Half way through the period most of the girls were getting pretty tired and breathing heavily, except for one, Belle. She was still going strong barely feeling exhausted.

A flash of red catches the corner of her eye in the next field and she hears the boys' gym teacher, the one wearing a green jumpsuit with a blinding smile, said "Well Gaara you decided to join us today after all."

Belle looks over and sees the red head Gaara glaring at the teacher and says in a low velvety husky voice "I had nothing better to do." That tone of voice made the teacher slightly flinch. It was a very demeaning tone making anyone who is spoken with it feels lesser about one's self. She had not noticed she'd stop jogging and kept looking at the red head that to Belle seemed like such an enigma.

Kurenai saw Belle slowly stop looking over at the boys' gym class and the just arrived Gaara. Kurenai smirks and yells "BELLE STOP OGGLING THE BOYS AND GET BACK TO RUNNING!" Kurenai couldn't help but laugh a little at her newest student's flushed face, beat red with embarrassment and startled jump. She started running again the minute the boys looked over when Kurenai yelled that. Most of them saw her jump in surprise and couldn't help but snicker a little and wonder who she was checking out. Gaara also saw her but only caught her running again and the red on her face, he only assumed to be from running. At the end of the period all but one of the girls was on the ground panting. Belle was still standing seeming unfazed by the long distance running. Kurenai looked at her amazed. She'd never seen such stamina in a young one. "Ok girls great run! Tomorrow we are going to play against the guys in some capture the flag so get a good night's rest!" Kurenai announced. Most of the girls groaned from aching muscles and the thought of trying to beat the guys at a sport come tomorrow. They all got changed back into their normal clothes and headed out of the change room.

Belle was the last to leave, but was soon stopped by a girl with pink hair and another girl with blonde hair. "Belle, right? Good running today. You sure have some stamina there. You did what, twenty, thirty laps around that track and you haven't even broken a sweat." The pink haired girl complimented.

"Ya, no duh Sakura. I bet she can keep up with Lee if he started doing all those running challenges around the village again. By the way Belle, I'm Ino and this bubble gum freak is Sakura." Ino says pointing at a very mad Sakura.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY INO-PIG!" Sakura gritted through her teeth. The two girls started yelling and poor Belle had no idea what to do. So in a desperate manner she decided to say goodbye and leave.

"Um...I'll see you guys later. I better get to class. Nice meeting you Sakura and Ino." Belle says just loud enough for them to hear over their arguing and walks away.

All the ninja students now had genjutsu class and since Belle was the only non-ninja here, she was enrolled in different classes. Vocal class is what she had at the moment. Belle loved singing and her father often complimented on her voice when she practiced on the piano. She entered the room to find that there was a note on the desk waiting for her. It said:

_Dear Isabella Aria,_

_I am afraid that there are no music, art, and drama teachers for you. In the absence of appropriate staff, you are welcome to use this room designed for all the arts, at your disposal. Sing, dance, act, play and create visual art to your heart's content. I will stop by at the end of each month for you to show me what you've been working on and I may pop in now and then to check on you. Just to let you know the room has been corked, so that you don't have to worry about your volume because anyone in the hall would think of it just as a murmur. Well good luck and have fun!_

_Sincerely,  
__Lady Tsunade-sama_

Belle looked around the room at all the various instruments, supplies and full length mirrors. She knew this was going to be a good year, as she gazed upon her sanctuary in this school in short she could never truly fit in. Everyone here was a ninja with their own special talents in the ninja field. Belle didn't really have any that she knew of. The only closely remote thing she had to being a ninja was with a kunai or shuriken and a one special ninjutsu her mother passed on to her. Especially the new kind of shuriken and kunai her father developed for her so she can defend herself, as long as she wears the special gloves or body suit. Setting her bag aside Belle closed the door and walked over to the piano where she decided to play warm up music for her vocals. The sound of the piano filled the room and then Belle sang her warm up staying in beat and in tune with the piano all the way.

Gaara was walking aimlessly about in the halls skipping the stupid genjutsu class he had right now. He really didn't use genjutsu so there was no point in going to it but something intrigued him. Walking by the room he noticed that that new girl Belle wasn't in there. Not like he cared or anything. Everything was quiet in the halls till he heard this melodic murmur coming from one of the rooms. Curiosity drove him to seek out the sound. Stopping in front of a door, the sound is much better to hear and he could tell it was a piano and a girl's voice singing. The voice sounded so angelic and sweet. Peering inside he sees that it was Belle all alone in the room playing in the piano. Carefully he opens the door without making a sound and is bombarded with the piano and her singing. She seemed to be doing some type of warm up. Gaara waits patiently till she finishes playing. He watches her hands move along the keys with deliberate motions knowing which key to press. Her voice, lifting into the air, mixing in perfectly with all the notes of the piano. Spying a chair, Gaara silently sets his gourd on the ground and sits in the chair, watching her every movement. He closes his eyes and just enjoys the music and her singing voice.

Belle still hasn't noticed Gaara and finishes up her warm up. Relinquishing her fingers from the piano she goes to her bag to withdraw a piece of sheet music with the lyrics on it. She loved the song, for one it was a duet of a man and a woman. Also the music for it was amazing. Before she touches her bag she feels a cold gaze upon her. Belle finally notices Gaara sitting there with his emotionless eyes locked on her.

Heat rushes to her face as she whispers out in the silence "What are you doing here Gaara? Don't you have genjutsu class?" Gaara looks into her eyes seeing her nervousness and curiosity swirling within them.

His answer is short and blunt "I could ask you the same thing."

Belle looks at him, retaliating with two words "Touché Gaara." They both stare at each other and Belle is unsure of what to do now that he is here. _'One thing's for sure I'm not singing in front of him. Darn myself consciousness. Maybe I can do some drawing.'_ She thinks as she takes out her pencil case, blank sheet of paper and walks over to a desk sitting down.

Looking down at the white emptiness of her paper she thinks of what to draw, but is drawn out of her thought by Gaara's rough voice "Why did you stop playing and singing?" The question was so sudden it caught her off guard for a moment. Gaara was still in the chair looking boringly at Belle with slight curiosity in his eyes even though it was minute. Belle wasn't frightened by Gaara, but more intimidated by him, because of his glare and rough demeanour.

She gathers her thoughts on how to answer and decided to give him something to think about. In a normal clear voice she challenges "Why do birds fly? Why does one choose to be who they are or allow idiots to tell them what they are and eventually become just that?" Belle continues but notices that there was a slight change of emotion in his eyes before they became ice once again, "Why do the good die and evil thrive? Why did the first Hokage choose this location for the village? Why do wars start when they can be prevented by looking through another's perspective of things? Why does one with so much already wish to take more from those who have naught? Gaara; people, things and events happen for a reason unknown, sheer stupidity or knowledge or greed, jealousy, ignorance. There are many questions and many answers but some questions can be easily answered from what is known or observed and the question asked." Belle stops, smiling slightly at her accomplishment in challenging him like that. She couldn't help but chuckle at the confusion in his eyes as he tries to make sense of what she just said.

Gaara mulls over what she said, looking blankly at the smiling and chuckling girl at the desk. There was no fear in her eyes when she challenged him, just confidence and triumph in what she just did. His eyes narrow into a glare to stop her smiling and chuckling at his expense, but it only subdues her laughter, leaving the ever present small smile on her features. Rolling her eyes at him she returns to the blank piece of paper before her and starts sketching lightly with her pencil. Gaara growls in frustration "You couldn't have given me a straight answer?"

Belle does not look at him but answers "Nope." Using her lips to pop the p. Mumbling incoherently, he turns his head back facing the piano as he tries to form an answer to his earlier question from what she has told him. He finally comes to an answer just as the bell to go for lunch rings.

Turning to face her he says "You stopped, because I entered the room." Gaara sees a light blush creep across her cheeks as she looks at him still smiling and nods.

"Don't feel bad though. I'm just self conscious." She says softly not wanting him to feel bad, but as he stares at her, her blush deepens.

Ripping her eyes away from his, Belle stares at her finished work, her smile growing a little more and giving a silent chuckle. It was a funny cartoon strip of her and Gaara's conversation with Gaara looking blank, frustrated and pouting slightly, while she was at the table looking triumphant, smiling and chuckling. The comic strip was also fully coloured. Before she could put it away it was yanked out of her hands swiftly. Gaara looks at the comic then at Belle raising a nonexistent eyebrow saying "I do not look like this." With his dead pan voice.

She chuckles "Um ya you do Gaara, in the drawing anyway. It is just an interpretation of our conversation earlier." With that said she grabs the sheet of paper out of his hands and walks off, but then walks back saying without a hint of nervousness anymore "You coming to lunch or what?"

Despite the odd stares they received from others Belle and Gaara ate lunch together, even if it was in silence, in the lunch room. Gaara hadn't brought a lunch like usual, but forgot to eat breakfast that morning as well, so he stared longingly at Belle's food. Noticing this she offered some of the better parts of her lunch to Gaara. Cautiously he accepted and they once again ate. "Gaara. Do you always eat lunch alone?" Belle asks looking at him with soft eyes. Gaara looks at her eyes seeing the worry and sympathy in them. He's never met anyone besides his siblings that gave him those eyes, those caring eyes.

"Only on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays." He says looking into those eyes that held no fear, resentment or disgust. Gaara couldn't fathom what he felt inside when he looked in those eyes. For once, though there was a person without fear towards him. All he knew was that it felt nice.

"Why?" Her voice held question as did her face hold curiosity.

Not really thinking he answers "I just want time away from the few friends I have and **any** disturbances." Gaara had finished the part of Belle's lunch she gave him and she had everything packed up and was sipping from a pop can, her smile gone from her features, her eyes locked on the can in her hands. Biting her lip she gets up and looks at Gaara with sadness.

Turning she walks away but after saying "Sorry if I was disturbing you Gaara." Her voice was sad as Gaara watches her walk away out of the lunch room. A terrible feeling gripped him and he'd never felt such a thing before. Then another thing registered in Gaara's mind. _'The lunch room is crowded, but when she left... It felt emptier.'_

Naruto was watching the two from the corner of his eye the whole time, as were Saskue, Sakura, Hinata and Ino. None could hear their last conversation, but they saw the sad expression Belle had when she left Gaara. Being Naruto he wanted to know what the hell happened. So he walks over to Gaara demanding an explanation, but Gaara wasn't paying attention to Naruto at all. His eyes were focused on where she left the lunch room. "Gaara are you even listening to me?" Naruto says annoyed. Gaara gives a quick glance at Naruto, but returns his eyes to where they were focused before. His mind was elsewhere as he tries to figure out why she left and why she looked sad.

Then it hit him and one word exited his mouth "Crap." Naruto looked at him confused but backed away as he rose and strode out of the room.

The bell rang for class to start again and Gaara hoped to see her in ninjutsu class, but to no avail she wasn't there. Before the teacher could get there Gaara was out of the room again. He was planning to skip that class anyway. He heads back to the room where they spent genjutsu class and just as he thought she was there, but this time getting out some art supplies. Gaara enters the room and Belle looks up at him.

Neither of them moving, until she broke the silence with her voice saying "Um...Hi Gaara. Let me guess. You don't need to learn ninjutsu?" Gaara nods unsure how to approach her with something he's never really done a lot of. Belle sees his uneasiness in his sea foam eyes. Her own eyes soften and she smiles worriedly, asking him "You ok Gaara?" He doesn't respond.

Awkwardly Gaara says to her "Um...about earlier...about me being alone at lunch I...I didn't mean to imply that you were disturbing me. Sorry if I hurt your feelings..." he said the last part quietly mentally thinking _'Since when do I care about some girl's feelings? Shit this is confusing. Any other girl it wouldn't seem like such a big deal, but the sadness in her eyes...I didn't like seeing it.'_ A blush graces both Belle and Gaara's face. He smiles inwardly as a smile of contentment lightens up her face.

"So that's what made you uneasy. You didn't need to apologise...I'm just glad you let me eat lunch with you and have your company as well...it was nice." Belle also says the last bit quietly as her face turns a deeper shade of red. Gaara felt Shukaku stir slightly inside him. He nods and takes a seat where he was last period, placing his gourd beside him. She returns to her art supplies placing them on a large table.

"Gaara?"

"Hn?"

"Say the first thing that comes to your mind."

"Sand."

"Sunrise or sunset?"

"Sunset."

"Oasis or none?"

"Oasis, and what's with all the questions?" Gaara asks absolutely confused, looking over at Belle to find her busily sketching on this huge canvas, with a smile plastered on her lips.

She quickly looks up at Gaara answering his question, finally, "I couldn't think of anything to do." Then resumes sketching on the canvas. There was utter silence in the room other than from Belle working diligently on her art work. Both of the teens just sat there in the silence enjoying each others' company although Gaara did find it quite boring. As class was about to come to an end Belle had just finished cleaning up the supplies and admired her work. Gaara walked over to see what she had done this time. He didn't say anything about what he saw. It was a sunset at an oasis in the desert, much like the ones he witnessed all his life, but more beautiful and surreal.

Belle grew anxious as Gaara starred at her now finished painting and wasn't saying anything so she asked "Is it that bad?"

He took his eyes off the painting and looked at her and replied "Looks hell of a lot better than the desert sunsets I've seen." He looks at her seeing a faint blush cross her cheeks. Belle looks at her work and chuckles slightly with amusement.

She looks at him her eyes gentle and says "Then you've never seen a sunset with your eyes and mind open." Before Gaara could ask her what she means the bell rings and she leaves the room swiftly, almost like a ghost.

The last two periods pass quickly with silent reading for English and map reading for geography. All the ninjas had the same schedule, including Gaara. He always seemed to have and empty seat beside him in all his classes so Belle ended up sitting beside him in each of them. There was slight excitement as Monday came to an end and everybody exited the class room. Belle tidy's up her things and puts on her back pack, turning to Gaara beside her just as he puts on his gourd. "Bye Gaara. See ya tomorrow!" she says with her regular voice with a friendly smile on her lips.

Gaara couldn't help but respond murmuring "Bye." Her smile stays plastered on her features as she waves slightly as she exits the room.

Belle was about to walk off the grounds when Naruto stops her and introduces Belle to Hinata and Saskue. "H-hello Belle. Y-you w-were impressive in g-gym today. Y-you have a l-lot of s-stamina." Hinata stutters. Belle smiles nicely and thanks Hinata for the compliment.

"This duck butt haired guy is Saskue Uchiha." Naruto says pointing to a boy with black hair, onyx eyes and wearing a dark blue shirt with white shorts. He was looking pretty pissed that Naruto insulted his hair, yet again.

"Hello Saskue." Belle says pleasantly. Saskue just looks at her slightly with a glimmer of interest in his eyes.

"Hn." Is all he says.

Belle gives him a confused look then says "Sorry guys I better start getting home. I live just outside the village so I gotta go. See ya later!" she jogs off the property and keeps jogging till she reaches the gates of Kahona. Greeting the guards and telling them where she was heading she leaves the village and goes down a long dirt driveway, arriving at a fairly large house. The house itself lays on a very large piece of beautiful land with a garden, orchid, an amazing pond with clear warm water, all enclosed by forest. Belle enters the dull, big house, the sunlight just entering through the windows enough to shed some light inside. Just this morning it was home to two people, but now it's just home to one. Dropping her bag at the door she heads straight to the music room of the house to grab her guitar and a piece of music she wrote about a year ago. The music room was a bit of a mess with blank music sheets here and there, rough drafts, notes, ideas and lyrics. "I really should organize this place, it's such a mess." She says to herself cutting through the silence of the house. Belle tunes her guitar and sets the music some where she can review it later. Leaving her instrument and music in the music room she heads out to read more of her book The Host by Stephanie Meyer.

Night fall comes and Gaara leaves the house to walk around in the night, since he doesn't sleep at night. It was a full moon tonight, but he no longer lusted for blood. He walks without a real destination till he gets near the gates of the village. Faintly on the wind he heard music. Using chakra he enhanced his hearing, only to hear guitar strings being plucked in a slow, sad rhythm coming from just outside the village. Curiosity drives him to leave the village quietly, walking down a long dirt driveway to come across a large house in a clearing with a grove of fruit trees beside it, but that wasn't what caught his attention. In the shimmering moonlight a top on the roof was a girl with a guitar looking up at the night sky. Gaara stays hidden in the shadows watching, listening to her play the guitar as she stares up at the night sky filled with stars and the moon its focal point. Concentrating on the figure he sees that it was Belle, with the reflected light of the moon on her skin. Her eyes so focused it was as if she wasn't even there in her body. A familiar voice penetrates the night air in a sad but musical harmony with the guitar.

(I wrote this song)

**Moon Mother**

Moon rises, sun sets  
Another day is gone, another night is here  
Another night without you, Mother dear  
With the moon shining down on me

Mother, do you know how much I miss you?  
Miss your love, your warm embrace  
If only just once more, I can touch your face  
And hear those words, I love you

_**/Chorus/**_

_**But now I can't, your way up high  
**__**Looking down on me, as the face in the moon  
**__**With starlight, shining bright  
**__**Lighting my way, my way in this life**_

How I love you, if only you stayed  
You risked your life for me, just one too many times  
Hearing my cry, you came to me  
And died, saving my young life

_**/Chorus/**_

Moon rises, sun sets  
Wish you didn't go, but you still seem to be here  
Every night, holding my soul tight  
From the heavens above, you are my moon mother

Gaara could hear the sadness in the song, but mostly in her gentle voice. Tonight Belle's voice was that of a sad angel, a sad angel's voice that penetrated something deep in a supposedly demonic demon boy's heart. Gaara felt the pain that he had suppressed, the pain of losing a mother.

* * *

ok this is my second story hope you like it so far.


	2. Chapter 2

Belle stares at the moon, after her song, silent tears befalling her normally kind happy face. Carefully she lies down on the roof, the wind blowing her curly bangs slightly, as well as drying her tears, leaving her face cold. Sighing knowing it's late she silently moves on the roof moving towards an open window leading to her bedroom, with her guitar in hand. A sudden loud snap of a twig in the woods immediately draws her attention freezing her blood cold. Putting her guitar down carefully on the roof, she scans the edge of the forest looming darkly. Whipping out a flashlight she shines it on the trees looking for any possible threat. Fear paralyzes her body from moving as her eyes take in everything the beam of light reveals. Belle takes deep breathes to calm her nerves and climb down from the roof to the ground, without leaving her back open in case of an attack. Putting the flashlight in her mouth she slips on her special gloves, to handle her kunai and shuriken.

The gloves were made of special metal in a tight nit chain mail that not even a single grain of sand can penetrate. The kunai and shuriken themselves are made of the same metal but made to that the edge is so sharp it is practically invisible, the smooth surfaces and handles have a special surface with super tiny sharp pins that prevent others from using them. So if an enemy tries to use them even with something on their hands to protect them from the metal they'd still get cut badly. The edges also cut through anything including other kunai and shuriken, as well as rock with ease. Belle prefers the kunai 'cause they have special wire in them that she attaches to her gloves to prevent losing them as well as giving her an excellent long range attack. The metal itself is also amazing for its ability to cut through chakra and full body armour of this metal can hide chakra points in the body diffusing it with the regular strands of one's chakra system. In other words the Hyuuga's byakugan is useless for disabling chakra flow.

With her gloves on and a kunai ready she takes the flashlight from her mouth, scanning the area once more. Belle was so on edge she didn't take the time to relax and sense whether what was out there was human or just another animal. Taking a deep breath she calms herself relaxing her tense body thinking '_I'm just being paranoid. Nothing's out there. Probably just some random racoon being careless.'_ Yet the calming thought does not relax her gaze at where the sound had come from. Putting away her gloves and kunai, she clutches her flashlight in a more relaxed grip, tilting her head to the side. Fear replaced by curiosity she begins walking over towards where the sound originated.

Gaara watched as she put these gloves on her hands and pulled out a kunai. He remembered during the day after gym that she had this discrete looking pouch on,_ 'That must have been where she kept the kunai.'_ His thoughts concluded. Hiding behind a tree from the beam of light, he observes her scanning of the area, fear emanating from her body. In the silence he was able to hear her strained breathing and the breaths she took to calm herself. Gaara had foolishly stepped on a twig, after her tears were shed and moving towards an open window, he couldn't explain the need to go to her. Maybe he was just curios and wanted to know if the song she was singing was because she mourned the loss of her mother. He knew such pain, but then again just because when he was born his mother died and that guilt inside that manifested itself in his heart never left. As well as the pain of knowing even his friends who accepted him still had that tiniest twinge of fear in them from time to time, except Belle, she had no fear towards him. Peeking from behind the tree he saw her relax putting away the gloves and kunai, tilting her head, only curiosity present, as she walks towards him. She turned the flashlight off knowing the moon was bright enough for her to see. Gaara watches as she made silent steps, glancing down now and then watching where she steps. The moon light shines down upon her in a radiant glow, high lighting her features. He couldn't move nor tear his eyes away from her, his own heart pounding in his chest threatening to burst open. Gaara couldn't fathom what he was feeling right now, but one thing was for certain it did not pain him.

As she drew nearer his legs finally listened to his brain and started moving him silently deeper into the trees, onto a branch in one. Gaara watches as she enters the trees standing where he stood moments ago, looking around carefully. Kneeling down she looks at a broken twig, feeling the wood gently contemplating something in her mind, her body staying motionless.

He holds his breath as her soft tender voice rings out in a whisper, in the silence of the night "This must've been one big fat racoon to break a twig this big." Her eyes lift up under her eye lashes, her head swaying from side to side looking for the supposed racoon, her curly bangs shift slightly at the turning of her head. He lets his breath out slowly not wanting to draw her attention, as his intense stare stays on her kneeling form. Belle rectifies her position, as blue green eyes skim over the woods once more and even looks up into the branches of the trees. Gaara stays perfectly still as her eyes gaze right to him, but do not seem to see him hiding in the shadows.

Belle could feel an intense stare looking down upon her from the branches in the trees. Almost immediately she recognizes the certain feel of the stare, it wasn't cold, just watchful this time, so putting on a little smile as she turns she couldn't help but say into the night "See ya in math class Gaara." She laughed lightly as she jogged back to her home, climbing up to the roof and taking her guitar inside through her bedroom window. Standing her guitar up against a wall she quickly returns to her window to find, as she suspected, a confused Gaara standing under her window looking up at her.

"How?..." was all he could say at the moment.

Belle smiled down at him and said "I felt an intense stare on me and I recognized it as yours. Oh and why were you spying on me?"

Gaara looks at her answering "I heard you playing your guitar, when I got here you started singing..." Gaara wanted to state that she mourned the loss of her mother, but thinking it through clearly he decided against it for it might just bring more of her unrelenting tears. He watches her face as it turns a slight red at the cheeks.

"Ya...um...thanks for cheering me up Gaara..." she pauses her mind wondering off, and then bursts out laughing. Now he was confused, yet pleased inside that he made her smile.

Belle saw his confused face, calming her down a bit she explains "I just remembered that when I saw the big broken twig I thought you were a big fat racoon! You do kind of look like a racoon with the black around the eyes...but you're anything but fat!" adding the last part on, as not to sound insulting yet still giggles away. He starred at the giggling girl above him and couldn't help but let the corners of his mouth twitch up a bit, showing the tiniest of smiles. He couldn't understand what she was doing to him, but for the first time, as far as he can recall, he felt happy and there was no guilt paining him deep inside. She stopped giggling to let out a big drowsy yawn, bringing him out of his thoughts and the emotionless mask put back in place.

"You're tired. I better go." He says in short simple answers. Belle lets another yawn escape her lips as she nods her head and tries to say ok. She smiles endearingly, and gives him a final wave goodbye, she withdraws herself into her bedroom closing the window and drawing the curtains. Retrieving her pyjamas she changes her clothes and removes her belt with the pouch attached. Looking at the clock she notices how late it truly was, walking over to her bed she slides under the covers, curling up slightly and rests her head on the pillow, slowly drifting into a silent slumber.

* * *

The morning came and Gaara was inside waiting for class to begin once again, with the completed math assignment from the previous day on his desk waiting to be handed in. He watches the minutes tick by on the clock, moving ever so slowly. He was waiting for something or someone but he couldn't seem to place it in his mind for what or for whom, then it dawned on him he was waiting for Belle. Gaara was slightly confused as to why he wanted to see her again. Before his train of thought could dwell on the matter any further the bell for school rang and everybody, but Belle entered through the doors.

Once everyone was seated, a loud thunder clap boomed from outside, rain drenching anyone who was unlucky enough to be caught in it.

* * *

'_Shoot! I slept in!_' Belle thought as she puts on her clothes as fast as she can, and everything else she has to do in order to get ready for school. She forgets to put her hair up and only grabs an apple as she books it out the door with her things and running at top speed to try and make it to school. As she zooms past the guards stunning them for a moment at how fast she was running and weaving through the people that were out already. Belle was half way there when there was a thunder clap and a wave of rain pelted her drenching her clothes and hair. '_Today was a bad day to wear a white t-shirt with a black bra underneath._' She mentally sighs and felt grateful that she did remember to pack her change of gym clothes.

Belle enters the school knowing fully well that class has already started. She heads straight to the girls bathroom to switch her drenched shirt with the dry one. Her hair was already drying in curly brown locks that would get in the way while working in class, but she always admitted to herself that she did look better in this hair style. Her bottoms actually weren't too badly soaked so she didn't need to change them. Belle leaves the bathroom, her back a little wet from the still soaked brown curls of her hair, finishing up her apple and tossing the core in a trash can. She heads to the office and picks up a late slip, then walks over to math class, slipping her wet t-shirt into her bag.

Irukia had just finished collecting the homework that was completed by some of the students. Most of the boys and girls had failed to complete, but Irukia was feeling generous so as he was about to announce when a feminine sneeze was heard just outside the door. The door opens and standing there was a pretty wet Belle smiling sheepishly as she walks in. "Hehe sorry...slept in. Here's the late slip." She says rubbing the back of her head as she hands over the slip of paper.

Irukia looks at her sternly saying "I hope you're not planning on making a habit of arriving late for school every morning Belle."

She looks at him her cheeks flush with embarrassment "Of course not Irukia sensei, I wouldn't dream of it." Saying quickly as she hurries over to her seat beside Gaara who was looking emotionless as ever. On her way all the boys stared at her again. It was starting to freak Belle out a little. Exactly what were they starring at?

Anyway she takes her seat as Irukia continues "As I was about to say, before I was _interrupted_, since most of you didn't finish the assignment you get to spend this period to complete it. The ones who did finish get to have a free period." There was a unanimous groan throughout most of the students, as they start working on their homework.

Since Belle had completed her homework the day before, she takes out the book she was reading last night, but before she starts she turns to Gaara and says "Morning Gaara." Gaara looks at her emotionlessly and nods acknowledging her greeting. Soon most of the class was chatting away asking who got this answer and coming to Belle for help every now and then, but that too soon died down as Belle became entranced in her reading. She came to one of the sad parts in her book and tears just started sliding down her face yet her facial expression was blank, as she even produced a sniffle here and there.

Gaara had decided to start doodling random junk on a piece of paper to try and to distract him from all the boys asking for Belle's help on the assignment. Hearing a sniffle beside him he turns to see Belle with tears running down her face, yet not actually looking sad just blank and focused. He was confused as to why she was crying but sees a book open in front of her. Gaara catches some of the words to see that it was at an apparently sad part of the book. Through the corner of his eye, he watches as she discontinues her reading and wipes away the tears that were adhered on her cheeks. Her eyes were slightly red, but the mix of blue and green in them just stood out so much more, especially the green. It was almost as if they turned turquoise. Her eyes do not see his discrete stare but focus on the cover of the book reflecting, with a slight smile on her face.

She closes her eyes knowing perfectly well who was staring at her. '_Gaara._..' when her eyes re-open their attention was on the red head sitting next her, her full lips in a friendly smile towards him. Belle's lovely voice fills his ears as she tells him "This has to be the third time I've read it and it still gets me to tear up. Filled with; struggle, romance, fear, trust and acceptance. Accepting a creature taking over a human's body, like the majority of the population on the planet. Once thought a monster in human skin, turned into a true friend that gave up the body it hosted to the person that loved the body, willing to just die and cease to exist." She paused to turn her head to Gaara to speak directly to him "Yet the person that truly loved the creature for _who_ it was found another that could not find its mind again. The creature lived in another and was loved despite the different appearance." A smile spread wide across Belle's face as she added "Everyone thought it was a monster, a murder because of what its kind did. Yet it proved that it was different and it all depends on what you do. Not what you've done."

Gaara looks her in the eyes seeing wisdom, knowing and insight. The last few sentences added on seemed to describe him and how she sees him. He was fairly confused by this girl, yet at the same time he understood, slightly. The bell for the class to end rang as Belle herself finished putting her book away. Gaara was already up; taking one parting glance at the girl beside him, then swiftly leaves the room.

* * *

The earth was slick with the water from the thunder storm just moments earlier. Since Belle already had her gym shirt on she switched her bottoms with her gym shorts. Everyone was standing outside complaining about the conditions that they were going to play capture the flag in. Gaara was there as well, but has his gourd with him too.

"Alright everyone, my name is Gai sensei for those of you who don't know." announced the man in the green jumpsuit, with a blinding smile. Belle had to blink a few times because she thought she was seeing stars. "Ok. Here are the boundaries. The whole forest is at your disposal, there is a river with murky water running through it, perpendicular to the midway point. Now there is a bridge right in the middle and that will be our divider for both sides." He paused for questions. No one bothered. So he continued "Ok then. Here are the rules. No weapons, jutsu of any kind, or hand to hand combat. This is going to be touch capture the flag. If tagged you are taken to the other side's jail. You can rescue one teammate at a time from jail. Your flag must also be visible within your own team's boundaries. You get the flag, run it to your side and that's it." He was about to turn away when he remembered something "Ah yes. Traps that are not harmful are welcome and girls' get far side." He waits again for any questions.

The male Hyuuga raises his hand. Gai sees and answers "Yes Neji, a question?" Neji steps forward, with his pale eyes fixed on Gai suspiciously.

"Yes, please explain to me why this time there are no weapons, fighting or jutsu allowed?" he finishes and awaits as every other ninja, except Belle and Gaara (who was planning to skip once again), for an answer.

Gai just smiles and replies "This is to help with evading the foe's touch and to focus more on strategy anything else Neji?" Neji looks at Gai and shakes his head no. "Excellent! Now may the power of youth guide all of you to victory! One blow from my whistle means the start of the game. Two blows mean the end. Three blows mean that the period is over and to pack it up! New girl here's the girls' flag." Gai says looking straight at Belle. She walks over taking the red flag from Gai and the minute it left his hand Gai yells "Alright, you have thirty seconds to get to the far side and hide your flag. GO!" He said it so fast that it surprised Belle enough to make her start running instantly to the girls' side, running at an incredible speed. Everyone else starred at the spot where she was last, baffled at how quickly she just disappeared, the rest of the girls recover first, running off to their side to meet up with Belle. "Well that's the power of youth for ya. Gaara before you disappear here is the boys' flag now go and hide it!" Gai says energetically, while Gaara took it and walked off to the boys' side, disappearing into the trees. The remaining ninja follow suit.

* * *

Belle had found a spot in a tree on the far side of their territory where it can still be seen from all directions, but defended just as well. The other girls caught up to her all complaining about how they never win against the guys in this game or any other game.

"They have fucking Shikamaru boy genius, Neji another smarty, and Saskue the hotty." Sakura says the end about Saskue wistfully.

"Don't forget they also have Rock Lee, with his speed and Kiba with his sense of smell, not to mention his dog Akamaru." Ino says eyeing Sakura.

"T-they also have N-Naruto, and...and..._Gaara_." Hinata stutters worriedly. All the girls looked pretty worried and scared at the mention of Gaara's name, and the thought of having to go up against him. Belle on the other hand didn't understand what they were all complaining about.

"What do you guys usually do when playing capture the flag against them?" Belle questions while she tries to come up with a strategy.

"We all try to over whelm them with a charge with one girl left behind to guard the flag...that never really worked because we're still waiting for Shikamaru to make a different strategy that would let us win. Also they have a lot of strengths on their side. It's hopeless." Tenten exasperates.

Belle sits on the ground contemplating on a good way to get the boys' flag, while the other girls debate on whose turn it is to stay behind to guard the flag.

"Okay so we all agreed that Belle stays behind?" Tenten questions waiting for any objections. Belle looks up from her contemplating because she was barely paying attention to the other girls talking.

"Are we doing the same plan again?" Belle asks the girls. They all look at her nodding.

"I-is th-there a p-problem with the pl-plan Belle?" Hinata asks looking down at Belle who has yet to get up from the forest floor.

"No I guess not but if you guys do the same plan over and over again it becomes very predictable. So then the guys already know what we're planning to do and don't really need to do much of a counter attack. In other words we need a new plan." Belle says getting up from the forest floor and brushing some of the dirt off.

* * *

On the boys' side of the forest Gaara had placed the flag on a small sand island in the middle of the river that would have anyone who is trying to reach to have to jump pretty far to get it. The boys had already arrived and were relaxing waiting for the girls to launch their 'overwhelming' attack. They knew the girls probably will stick with the same plan. So everybody just relaxes talking with each other.

"Man that water is disgusting." Naruto says looking at the brown water of the river running by. "Do you think any of the girls will try to swim in to get the flag?" Naruto asks out loud.

Shikamaru grunts then answers "No Naruto. All those girls over there are too _prissy_ to even set foot in that water. It's probably swimmable and you might be able to see underwater but still." Shikamaru leans back on a tree closing his eyes letting his mind wander. It wanders straight to Belle and that's when he thought of something. He knew that the other girls wouldn't set foot in that water but what about the new girl? He leaves it alone thinking she will be like every other troublesome girl he has ever met and stay clear of the water.

Gaara leaned himself up against a tree waiting for something to happen. He already could tell that everyone was underestimating Belle. Gaara had this feeling that she is not as she appears to be. Then again he wasn't sure of what he felt for her. She didn't fear him. She didn't treat him like an outcast, but like everyone else. Whatever he felt it was new to him.

"Hey Gaara, why you still here? Don't you usually leave and skip by now?" Kiba asks looking at the red head, Akamaru peeking out to look at Gaara as well. Gaara looks at Kiba from the corner of his eyes sending him a stoic emotionless expression. Kiba narrows his eyes as he watches the red head look away from him showing the slightest bit of speculation in his sea foam eyes. Kiba just shrugs it off. '_Yes...why am I still here?'_ Gaara thinks to himself. The rest of the boys eye him suspiciously except for Naruto who was complaining about how slow the girls were being, in _attempting_ to get their flag.

Neji was the first to feel a couple of chakras coming closer, because of his byakugan he could sense chakras without using them a little easier than the others, but can't pinpoint them. Everyone, but Gaara, tenses as they noticed Neji tensed. They wait for the girls to come out of hiding so they could beat them then go over overwhelm the remaining girls and get their flag.

None of them saw it coming. All of a sudden there was this blur coming out of the water, soaring just over the flag, snatching it, tied it to a rock, throwing it up into the canopy of the trees where Hinata comes out, catching it, then making off with the flag. The blur that had come out of the water again jumped out onto land where, no one else was, to reveal that it was Belle with her shirt now stained a light muddy brown and her hair, once again wet, making it like a sleek black colour, with strands of it clinging to her face and her bare feet on the ground. Lee had already started running after Hinata. Before Belle could get away Naruto, Kiba, Shikamaru, Neji, Saskue, and Choji surrounded her while Shino and Gaara hung back.

Gaara watched as the mayhem unfolded. They had her surrounded yet none could touch her, let alone tag her. Belle kept dodging every one of their attempts using what looked like to be dance moves. When Naruto went for her again she did a leap frog styled jump over him, but the moment she was about to hit the ground running sand encircled her ankle bringing her upside down in front of Gaara. Belle tucked her loose shirt in so that her hands would be free and that her shirt doesn't fall down.

Belle was shocked at first when all of a sudden she found herself hanging upside down staring at Gaara eye level to him. She looked at her ankle to see that it was being held captive of the sand. Her eyes follow the sand leading into the gourd on Gaara's back. She didn't feel threatened by the sand at all she actually liked the feeling of it on her skin with the constant movement of the grains.

"You've been caught." Gaara says in his monotone raspy voice. He waits for her response, her inevitable fear of the sand he controls. The rest of the boys watch as well, wondering what her reaction to the sand may be. Belle looked at Gaara dead in the eyes as Gaara did in to hers. She looked away to have a closer look at the sand, crunching up her abdomen muscles till she could reach the sand around her ankle. Gaara watched her every movement as did the rest of the guys. Belle's eyes widened in wonder as her finger tips brushed against the sand. She uncurled and looked straight at Gaara her face filled with amazement.

"No way...Gaara you're controlling this?" Belle asked him, waiting, still upside down, for a response. Gaara couldn't almost believe his ears and eyes. This girl that was easily at his mercy was asking him if it was indeed him, controlling the sand that killed so many ninja and innocent people. The other boys couldn't believe it either. Before they knew Gaara wasn't going to hurt them and they got trapped in his sand they'd be thrashing around trying to figure out a way of escape.

"Yes, I control the sand." Gaara finally answered with his rough voice. Belle's face just brightened, a smile crossing her face.

"Aww! That is so cool!" Belle said excitedly. The boys watching just all fell over, Gaara himself almost lost his balance if not for the fact he was leaning against a tree. She wasn't afraid. She actually seemed to like his sand. Her face started turning red but not from embarrassment, it was just that the blood was rushing to her head.

"Gaara as much fun as it is been held upside down by grains of sand...can you please put me down? All the blood is rushing to my head." Belle asks with a weak smile. Gaara doesn't say anything, commanding his sand to let her down gently onto the ground, releasing her ankle. Belle stands up a little too quickly, spreading her arms out to balance herself, and tries walking, but stumbles bumping into Gaara. All the other guys took an intake of breathe wondering what Gaara's reaction might be. Gaara had caught her just as she bumped into his chest.

Belle looks up at him her cheeks tinted red. "Sorry Gaara. Stood up too quickly, just got a little light headed." She laughs weakly as her hands go to his chest to push herself away. Gaara's eyes starred intensely at her, not to be threatening like the others boys thought, but more in curiosity at how she acted around him. He could feel the Shakaku purring at the contact. Gaara was slightly confused by the Shakaku's behaviour, but chose it best to ignore it. Belle was calm, more or less, and just unafraid, treating him as if he was normal. As Belle moved away he realized his hold on to her arms and let go, but not without noting how his sand did not form a barrier between her skin and his. No one else could have known it since it was an acute receding to where their skins met.

Naruto soon commanded Belle's attention as her eyes left his. Gaara knew that Naruto really wanted to break the silence that had consumed the group when he caught her, both in the game and when she was about to fall over. As Naruto asked her numerous questions getting excited, Gaara noticed Saskue Uchia starring at Belle, with interest gleaming in his eyes. Gaara watches the Uchia as the Uchia's eyes look over Belle. Wondering what Belle could have done to intrigue the Uchia boy so much; Gaara takes one glance over at Belle realizing why Saskue was so interested.

Belle's hair was damp, starting to curl and her clothes were still fairly wet, clinging to her body showing off her curves. Her shorts had already revealed her legs but her white, t-shirt stained a muddy brown, was clinging to her skin and, unbeknownst to her or the other boys, but Gaara and the Uchiha, was showing the slightest glimpse of a black bra through it. Not to mention showing how well endowed her chest was. Gaara couldn't place the anger he felt towards, as well as the growling Shakaku was making inside his head, the Uchiha at looking at Belle like this.

Gaara glanced back towards Saskue to see his eyes were definitely fixed on her chest area, with a slight smirk present, since he could actually see it from his angle. Seeing Saskue with that smirk like that towards Belle angers him even more, with the Shakaku telling him to kill the vermin right then and there. Gaara just ignores Shakaku's comment about killing the Uchiha, no matter how tempting it was, decided to take a less violent action, which was a first for him. As Belle had just finished talking with Naruto, that's when Gaara hatched a plan.

"Naruto." called out Gaara's voice. The blonde looked over at Gaara catching the motion that Gaara wanted to talk to him. Naruto was probably one of the only people who understood him and wasn't as afraid of him, but there were Naruto's moments.

"What's up Gaara? You mad at me for directing your little girlfriend's attention away from you?" Naruto teases as he gets closer to Gaara. Gaara looks at Naruto confused, and then just glares at him. "I'm just joking with ya Gaara." Naruto laughs awkwardly hands in front of him trying not to look offensive. Turing his head to the side to talk to Naruto quietly, he catches one more glimpse of the Uchiha still starring at Belle with that smirk.

"Follow the Uchiha's line of sight." Was all that Gaara said before Naruto looked, his eyes widening.

"SASKUE! QUIT being perverted!" Naruto shouts. All the boys and Belle look at Saskue and his confused face.

"What the hell are you talking about dope?" Saskue asks irritated at Naruto. Naruto shrugs off his orange jacket handing it over to Belle. Belle takes it looking questioningly at Naruto.

A blush seeps into Naruto's cheeks as he says "Trust me just put it on." Belle looks down at herself realizing _why_ Naruto was giving her his jacket to wear. A blush covers her face as she quickly puts it on and zips it up.

"Um, thanks Naruto." Belle says smiling gratefully to Naruto. The rest of the boys soon realize also why Naruto handed her his jacket. Gaara slightly narrowed his eyes at Naruto, the Shakaku stirring slightly, but knew it was just a gesture of good will and to be a friend. Gaara relaxed a little, but he was still wasn't sure as why he cared so much.

Soon everyone heard Lee running up to the rest of the group. "I am deeply sorry. I was unable to catch Hinata-chan and was made confused when they all came out running in different directions. No doubt passing the flag around to one another. It was very confusing." Lee said crest fallen at his own failure.

A huge grin grew across Belle's face at the news of the success the girls had in securing the boys flag. She was feeling overly pleased with herself, but seeing Lee's crestfallenness she tones down her grin to a smirk. The smirk soon fades when Lee points and asks "Belle-chan why are you wearing Naruto's jacket?" Her smirk disappears as her toes grip at the damp ground beneath her feet and she crosses her arms. Belle's face also stained a deep red. Lee waited expectantly for her answer.

Naruto decided to try and save her from explaining by cutting in, "Saskue was being a pervert looking at Belle's chest through her now slightly _see through_ shirt." It didn't help too much, but just made Belle's face turn a deeper red as she covered her face with her hands in embarrassment.

"Saskue that is no way to treat a girl like she is some piece of meat. Especially Belle-chan since she is new here." Lee says in a matter of fact tone of voice. While Saskue was getting a talking to by Lee, Akamaru had decided to consol Belle in this most embarrassing situation by slipping out of Kiba's jacket when he was talking to Shino as they all wait for the whistle to be blown.

'_whine, whine_' Akamaru whines pawing at Belle's feet. Removing her hands from her face she looks down to see Akamaru. A smile graces her lips as she decides to sit down and pet the little puppy that was licking her hand and face, if he could reach it, affectionately. Small giggles erupted from her every now and then. Gaara watched Belle playing and for a split second his face was lax and had a soft expression on it, but it quickly changed before the others could catch on. Gaara couldn't understand what Belle makes him feel inside, but he just knew it was pleasant.

* * *

Kiba had heard Akamaru whining and saw him on the ground with Belle, playing around. Kiba decides to try his luck with flirting with her again, which hadn't worked at all yesterday when she was busy working on her math. "Shino, I'm going to try and flirt with Belle again since Akamaru conveniently has her attention." Kiba says grinning at Shino who looked placid as usual.

"Kiba I just can't believe you." Shino said. Kiba shot him a glare.

"About what Shino?" Kiba asks aggravated.

"That you know a word as big as _conveniently_." Shino replies a smirk very evident in his voice. Kiba crinkles his noise and glares at Shino knowing that he had called him stupid. "But Kiba I suggest that you don't try anything with her." Shino says warningly, looking at Belle and the boy that stood behind her like a looming, intimidating statue.

This peeked Kiba's concern, so he decided to ask. "Why? None of the others _exactly_ has made a move or called dibs on her." Kiba asks sounding very childish.

Shino brought his gaze back to his comrade and answered "Because Gaara seems to have already shown some signs of possessiveness over Belle, the way one of my male bugs may show towards a female, and any other male that has interest in her." Kiba looked at Shino, then at Belle, a quick corner glance at Gaara then back at Shino again. His eyes furrowed.

"What makes you think that?" Kiba asked his voice sounding grave. He didn't know too much about Gaara and didn't really feel like getting on the dude's bad side.

"Yesterday when Belle left the lunch room sad, most likely due to Gaara saying something, Naruto goes over and Gaara doesn't even listen starring in the direction where she went leaves as well in most likely a pursuit to make amends. Today when Naruto blurted out about Saskue starring at Belle in a perverted manner, I had previously seen Gaara stare at Saskue following his line of sight towards Belle and the anger that seeped somewhat into his eyes. That was why he had called Naruto over so Belle would know of her situation. Also there was the slightest bit of a glare Gaara gave Naruto when he gave Belle his jacket to cover up. In other words, Gaara doesn't like her interacting with other males. So it would be advised not to try anything Kiba." Shino finally finished saying to Kiba. Shino had made sure he kept an eye on Gaara in case he overheard something he had said, but Gaara's eyes lay mainly on Belle, yet were still alert to any approaching person. Kiba on the other hand was dumb struck. Shino must be really looking out for him, cause if he wasn't he wouldn't have conversed so much.

* * *

Akamaru had completed his mission of cheering Belle up so he left her and went back to Kiba. Belle rose from the ground brushing her off and walks purposely towards Gaara making eye contact. Gaara watches her intently arcing an eye brow. Belle looks at him and just smiles softly. She goes to one of his sides and leans up against the tree he was leaning against. Gaara looks at her as she closes her eyes to relax a little. He stares at her leaning against the tree he was at, but straightens out his head and closes his eyes as well, he could tell that the Shakaku was pleased that her presence was so close to him. Gaara didn't want to think too much on why the _Shakaku_ liked her so much.

Belle jumps at the sound of two whistles being blown, with slight panic running through her, but that soon calms down. The girls come up behind Gai who was just arriving at the spot, and then Kurenai just pops out of nowhere to where everyone was now congregating. The first things the girls notice is that Belle was wearing Naruto's jacket.

"H-here are y-your shoes and s-socks Belle. I b-brought them over f-from the other s-side of t-the forest." Hinata says handing Belle her shoes with her socks tucked neatly inside them and eyes Naruto's jacket that she was wearing.

"Thanks Hinata. You were good out there. Nice job." Belle praises warmly to Hinata. Hinata usually never got comments like that except from her team and sensei. Belle quickly puts on her shoes, with her basically dread lock curls from her hair getting in the way a little bit.

"Belle why are you wearing Naruto's jacket?" Tenten asks inquisitively. A red stain covers her cheeks. Belle _really_ didn't want to have to explain that.

"I'll tell you about it later Tenten." Belle says quickly. Tenten accepts that answer figuring her still damp hair and clothes what could've most likely have happened.

"Belle" Kurenai calls, Belle looks in her direction as she continues, "I had arrived late when I found you and the other girls coming up with a plan. You were the brains behind the whole thing. How did you get the idea to take to the water?" Kurenai waited for her response.

"I saw the water as an easy access route and asked who out of the girls would swim in the muddy brown water. None of them would so it made it easier to deceive. The way the bridge is positioned also was perfect when I needed a view of where the flag might've been. It was just luck that it was on the sand island making it easier to grab. I had remembered the island so I ran through scenarios with Hinata, who was coming with me, and one of them involved the sand island." Belle finished with amazed eyes on her. Shikamaru was impressed, but he quickly noted that Belle wasn't his type after all. She was _too_ smart.

Kurenai and Gai glance at each other as if they were thinking the exact same thing and needed to speak to each other later. No one took too much notice though.

"Well we can start a new game since there's still some time left. Belle you must be soaked, so go get changed into your regular clothes." Kurenai said to Belle, as the other students protested favouritism. "If the rest of you find it _so_ unfair, go jump into that water and stay in there for ten minutes _then_ you can get out and go get changed." The students looked at Kurenai then at the muddy water, and decided better of it.

"Naruto I'll return your jacket before the next class starts." Belle says to Naruto before she started jogging towards the school. Not many of the students paid much attention as she left except for Saskue and Gaara. The minute Belle was out of sight Gaara decides to pull a disappearing act to get out playing the moronic game. No else, but Saskue, noticed Gaara's disappearance.

Belle entered the change room, taking Naruto's jacket off, and starts to undress herself. She of course realizes she didn't have any dry under garments. '_Of course I don't have a change of under garments. Why would I if I didn't figure I would need them. Guess I'll have to quickly run home._' Belle thought as she started redressing and putting Naruto's jacket back on. She decides to leave her things since she wouldn't be gone for long. Belle carefully manuver her ways through the halls having fun trying not to get caught. She makes it to the back of the school, but not noticing that she had caught the attention of Kakashi sensei, who was her history teacher, just as he finished reading a page of his _"book"_.

* * *

Kakashi was curious as to what his new student was doing, so he puts his book away and silently follows her. She exits through a back door entering a very narrow ally. The door had one of those mini windows so Kakashi watched from the window of the door. He had to quickly hide when Belle scanned the area for observers. Kakashi looked back to see Belle using both walls to get herself up to the roofs, by spreading her legs and using them to push on the wall to the other wall and back again. Swiftly and easily climbing the tall buildings, without using chakra, that was for sure.

Kakashi was positive he had seen that move before. He steps out and climbs up after her. When he got to the top he just saw her start running a top of the roofs in a blur of speed. His eyes widen as he remembers where he'd seen that move before, but just to prove his suspicions he pursues her, the best he could. It was hard though because when she got out of sight she barely left a trace like a ghost, and her movements were elegant and quick. This knowledge threw Kakashi off, because he definitely remembers these movements and he was having a hard time believing it, and then he thought of an old friend who had died almost ten years ago and brought up her face.

As he followed Belle he compared both of their faces and they were almost identical when it came to first glances. _'It couldn't be...could it?'_ Kakashi thought as he hung back and watched her leave the village and turn down a dirt road that he swore wasn't there before. Kakashi could think of the only ninja to live outside of the village, but he was retired now and had gone into business. To Kakashi's knowledge his other friend had never gotten married, nor had children, but the evidence was there, in where Belle headed, the moves and her looks were so similar to his female friend that had passed away. Even he knew that his female friend couldn't have had any children, because she never married, nor had children as well. He was confused and was planning to get some answers, possibly from Belle, or the Hokage.

* * *

Belle made it to her house but she had for most of the journey the feeling she was being watched. It made her anxious, but it stopped and she relaxed. She quickly put on a pair of clean clothes and under garments. Soon she headed back to the school where she had a more or less an uneventful day for the rest of the day and made sure to return Naruto's jacket, as well as telling Tenten and Hinata _why_ she was wearing his jacket. They were stunned, but promised not to tell a soul. Belle hung out with Gaara again during her arts periods and she got the weirdest feeling from Kakashi. As if he really wanted to say something to her, or had that speculating look that Kurenai and Gai had earlier as well. Did they suspect something? They knew she wasn't a ninja, they were informed of that, but did they suspect something else?

Belle got home, made dinner, finally cleaned up her music room, watched TV and just went to bed early because she felt so bored, but there was that nagging little thought in the back of her mind that her teachers were starting to suspect something. She didn't dwell on it though and went to sleep.

* * *

Second chapter finally! Sorry but i have all these ideas that go through my head but then when i get to writting i dont know how to get there. oh and sorry for any saskue lovers for making him a pervert

Disclaimer: I DONT OWN NARUTO

Please review! and feel free to give me some ideas!


	3. Chapter 3

Math that morning had been relatively uneventful, except for the surprise math test on quadratics that everyone had to finish by the end of the period. Belle had noticed Gaara was having a bit of trouble with one of the questions. So he skipped it to finish the others and for almost the rest of the period he spent on that one question. Once Belle saw Irukia leave she tapped Gaara's desk to get his attention then pointed to her test opened up to the question he was having trouble with. Gaara raised an eyebrow at her kind, smiling face.

"You better hurry. I don't know how long Irukia will be out of the room for." Belle whispered. Gaara looked into her eyes then leaned over quickly to look at the answer she got for that one question. He wrote down the answer, finishing just as Irukia stepped into the room.

"Okay everyone, time's up! Hand in your test as you walk out of the room." Irukia announced as he went to the door as the bell rang. Belle was the first one out this time and had started making her way over to the girls' change room. Gaara wanted to talk to her, but she had already left and stepped into the girls' change room before he could catch up. Gaara was about to leave when Hinata had come up about to enter the change room.

Hinata had seen Gaara just about to leave from his spot standing outside of the girls' change room, and she was really nervous. Hinata just wanted to get into the changing room and away from Gaara's cold stare, but Gaara had grabbed her arm. She squeaked in fright. When she looked up at Gaara's face she saw is emotionless mask starring at her with some intention evident in his eyes.

"Hinata, I need you to do something for me." Gaara asked impassively. Hinata looked at him unsure and a bit scared. Gaara didn't take her fear too personally; he had learned that Hinata was someone who was a very nervous and fearing person.

"W-what is i-it G-Gaara?" Hinata asked unsurely. Hinata was unsure of what he wanted, but listened none the less. Gaara broke eye contact for just a moment looking away to the side then looked back at Hinata. Hinata swore she almost saw a little nervousness in his own eyes, but they changed back to their normal coldness.

"Can you tell Belle I need to say something to her?" Gaara asked Hinata. Gaara looked at Hinata seeing in her face she was contemplating something in her mind, trying to understand something, but she nods her head and heads into the change room.

"Belle?" Hinata calls out looking around the corner to find her still in her regular clothes reading a book. Hinata didn't understand why she didn't change immediately, instead of waiting for the other girls to leave the change room. Hinata thought she might be self conscious, but that was hard to believe since Belle seemed to have already been blessed with a body that was more athletic than curvy and had decent sized chest. Belle looks up from her book, to look at Hinata.

"What is it Hinata?" Belle said nicely, with her voice ringing in the room. Some of the other girls come in before Hinata could tell Belle about Gaara.

"I wonder why Gaara is standing outside the change room." Sakura says to Ino.

"Beats me, but I really don't wanna know. He gives me the creeps. It's enough to have him in our village, but in school too?" Ino replies to Sakura.

"Yeah I know." Sakura sighs exasperatedly. Belle looked at the two female ninja her eyes a little sad and contemplative. '_Why do they have to be so mean to him? Sure he's intimidating, but...'_ Belle couldn't think past that one thought. She wasn't sure what she thought of the red headed male. Then she remembered that Hinata wanted to ask her something.

"Hey Hinata you wanted to ask me something?" Belle calls over to Hinata. Hinata comes out of daze, most likely listening to Sakura and Ino talk, looking at Belle.

Her eyes go wide in remembrance and say, "Yes Belle. G-Gaara wanted m-me to tell you that h-he wanted t-to tell you s-something." Sakura, Ino and now Tenten look at Belle.

"Belle what could he want with you?" Sakura says worriedly.

"Yeah, I mean this is odd, even for him." Ino says concerned.

Belle could see the slight fear in their eyes, but just stands up, putting her book down and grabbing a sketch book and pencil. '_He must have been waiting all this time since Hinata came in. I hope he didn't leave yet...'_ Belle thought as she made her way to the exit of the girls' change room.

"Belle you're seriously going to go talk with him?" Tenten asked worry evident in her voice. Tenten was worried for the new girl and was wondering if she had done something to upset Gaara. Belle turned to Tenten and gave her a kind smile, with her eyes filled with kindness and warmth.

"Don't be so worried Tenten. Besides he's probably been waiting for a while and it is rude to keep someone waiting." Belle pauses to look at the door then pauses and doesn't look back at the girls. "I understand that you fear him, it is apparent in your eyes, but you don't need to worry about me. I'll be fine." She finishes and heads to the door to meet up with Gaara, with her sketch book and pencil in hand.

Gaara had been waiting a little bit impatiently, outside the girls' change room, for Belle to come out. He sighed heavily thinking _'Maybe she just doesn't want to talk with me...'_ as that thought ended he felt an all too familiar pain in his heart. Though the pain and disappointment didn't show on his face, it was still there under his emotionless mask. _'Why does it hurt? I've been stood up by people before, because of who I am. The pain was dull and insignificant, but this...this is sharper...more...'_ Gaara couldn't put words to what he felt. He was just about to leave when the door opened and out came the ever smiling Belle. The sharp pain in his heart fled.

"Hey sorry for taking so long Ino and Sakura had distracted Hinata and me." Belle paused looking into his sea foam green eyes "You wanted to tell me something?" Belle asks her head tilted a little in curiosity.

Gaara looks at her and was tongue tied. "Never mind." Gaara mumbles as he shakes his head. This just made Belle even more curious. Gaara turned and starting walking away feeling somewhat like an idiot (you know the feeling).

Belle runs up to him asking, "Tell me! Please?" as she looks at him pleadingly. Curiosity was getting the best of her.

"No." Was his response to her pleading, as he just keeps walking planning on skipping gym, again, and going up to the top of the Hokage monument to be alone for a bit. Of course, since Belle was following him asking what he was going to tell her, he might not get alone time. The fact that Belle was going to accompany him, he didn't mind.

Belle sighs, finally figuring she wasn't going to get him to answer, looking disgruntled, and continues walking with Gaara. Gaara takes a side glance at the girl beside him with a disgruntled look.

Gaara couldn't help but show a small taunting smirk as he says "Gave up?" Belle turns her head to look at him seeing the taunt in his eyes.

"Yes Gaara I give." Belle says exasperatedly, continuing with, "So, where we going?" Belle asks looking at Gaara just as they exited the school building. Gaara doesn't say anything immediately as they walk through the streets of Kahona.

* * *

"Hey where's Belle?" Kurenai asks her gym class, looking at the girls. Sakura, Ino, Tenten and Hinata look at each other nervously, unsure what to say. Kurenai noticed. "Okay ladies where is she?"

"G-gaara had me t-to tell Belle th-that he wanted to talk to h-her. She l-left the change room a-and didn't c-come back i-in." Hinata answered first. Hinata was really hoping that Belle was right and that she was fine.

"For all we know she is still with Gaara." Sakura adds.

"Probably, but maybe she doesn't mind being around him." Ino says suggestively. This causes both her and Sakura to start laughing.

"Yeah right Ino, who would want to be the monster of the sand?" Sakura says sarcastically. Tenten was worried for Belle as well, but saying that no one would want to be with Gaara was pretty cruel. Tenten wasn't blind to the kindness and warmth that radiated from Belle. Hinata was the same, but it was usually shrouded by nervousness and fear. Belle on the other hand..._ 'There was no fear in her voice, her eyes, or even her body language. I wonder what Belle sees in Gaara... is he not the monster we all think he is still.'_ So Tenten decided to say something in his defence.

"Come on guys we shouldn't be so mean to him. I mean he hasn't tried anything and he's been here for how long? For all we know he might actually find someone someday." Tenten states.

Kurenai watches amused as her students bicker and was slightly proud of Tenten for sticking up for Gaara. She was slightly wondering where the comment had come from, but then she remembered Belle and what she had overheard of what some of the other boys had said about yesterday in capture the flag, specifically Kiba talking to Choji.

"_I'm serious Choji! That's what Shino said. It's hard to believe that Gaara seems to be interested in Belle, from what Shino told me." Kiba says shaking his head._

"_Well Belle seems to like him as well. I hope they get together. Belle seems like such a kind soul." Choji says smiling while munching on his potato chips._

"_Really? What makes you think that Gaara, someone who killed for the hell of it, would deserve someone so kind?" Kiba demands aggravated, then asks as well, "Wait you think Belle likes him too?" Kiba was confused. Choji thinks while he munches on his chips._

"_Well don't you think that everyone deserves someone to love? Besides remember what Naruto told us about his past? That's why I hope they get together. Gaara has had a life that consisted of little to no kindness and love. He's the one that deserves love the most and Belle might be the only one who might be able to give him the love and happiness he needs in his life." Choji pauses then continues, "Did you not notice the way Belle acted and the cute tint of red on her cheeks when she bumped into him?" Choji finishes telling Kiba. Kiba looked at Choji feeling bad. Akamaru even barks at Kiba to tell him Choji is right._

Kurenai was trying to process what she has heard. '_Is Gaara infatuated with Belle and Belle with him?'_ Kurenai finishes thinking just as Kakashi appears out of now where.

"Hello Kurenai." Kakashi says casually looking at the girls having a heated discussion, mostly Tenten against Sakura and Ino.

"Hey Kakashi." Kurenai says off handily, consumed in thought. Before Kakashi says anything, he changes his question as he notices that Belle was missing amongst the girls and Gaara was nowhere to be seen in the boys' gym class that had started flag football that was all too quickly becoming tackle football. Kakashi knew Gaara for skipping classes so he wasn't too concerned, but Belle didn't seem like the type to skip.

"Kurenai, where is Belle? She doesn't seem to be the type to cut class." Kakashi asks concerned. Kurenai looks at Kakashi and shrugs.

"The girls say before class she went to talk with Gaara, since he wanted to talk to her, but hasn't returned..." Kurenai was now starting to worry for her new student. "Kakashi come back in fifteen minutes and if you don't see her among the rest of the girls go look for her, okay?" Kurenai asks. Kakashi nods and disappears once again.

* * *

Belle plops on the ground, placing her sketch book and pencil in her lap, leaning against a rock on top of the Hokage monument. Belle gazes over the village as Gaara takes a seat beside her placing his gourd on the other side of him. The silence wasn't uncomfortable, just companionable silence.

The view of the village in, Belle's opinion was amazing. She wanted to capture the village in an eternal image on paper so she picked up her pencil and sketch book and started sketching the village's outline. Starting with the buildings closet to her and work her way out to the farther buildings. Gaara tries to take a look at what she was working on but Belle hugs the sketch book to her chest. Her blue green eyes glinted mischievously at Gaara as he motioned for her to give him the sketch book, but she just smiled tauntingly. Gaara raised a nonexistent eyebrow.

"You didn't tell me what you wanted to say so you don't get to see my sketch book." She said taunting him even more. Gaara furrowed his eyes at her and tried to make grab for the book, but Belle quickly dodges his attempt. He locked eyes with her seeing the playfulness in her eyes challenging to try and get her sketch book. Belle was still sitting starring at Gaara waiting for him to make a move.

"Let me see." Gaara growls out. Belle smiles shaking her head no. He frowns and lunges at her again. Belle tries to dodge him, but Gaara just narrowly grabs her waist causing her to yelp in surprise and flinched as Gaara made contact (It was one of those big flinches that happens when you're really ticklish).

Gaara had seen the flinch and felt bad; he was tired of people shying away from him, being afraid of him. The feeling left when he saw the smile on her face.

"Don't grab me there." Belle said warningly pointing at Gaara with her index finger, but Gaara didn't take her seriously as he saw the ever present smile in her features.

Gaara looked at her raising an eyebrow while saying, "Why not?" Belle looked at him, a slight blush on her cheeks.

"I'm very ticklish." Belle says looking away from him. Curiosity captured Gaara, so he decided to see for himself. Belle barely caught the mischievous glint in his eyes as he lunged for her again, but Belle saw him just in time to dodge again. Belle playfully keeps dodging him as he keeps trying to tickle her. Gaara figured if he couldn't catch her with his bare hands he would use his sand.

Belle was keeping her eyes on Gaara, not letting him out of her sight, but failed to notice as the sand in his gourd started pouring out and blending with the earth. As she sees Gaara make a half hearted attempt again, Belle smiles tauntingly as she jumps back a little bit just out of reach. Unbeknownst to her, Gaara's sand was waiting for her on the ground behind her.

Gaara makes another attempt and Belle tries to dodge, but shock encases her senses as she soon realizes she couldn't move her feet and falls backwards onto the ground. Belle had little time to investigate what had disabled her to move, when Gaara had lightly touched her side causing Belle to flinch.

"Don't!" Belle exclaims with a smile on her lips, her eyes on his hands. If she had looked into Gaara's face she would have seen the corner of his lips quirk just a little into a smile.

Gaara uses one hand to momentarily grasp her side and in response Belle lets out an uncontrollable laugh. This just eggs Gaara on more and in minutes, Gaara of the Sand was tickling a girl, he'd just met couple days prior, till she was red in the face and trying to hold back his hands away from her. Gaara couldn't fathom why he was doing this, but he enjoyed hearing her laugh and it was a little fun. Very childish, but fun, he couldn't stop the tiniest of smiles from appearing on his face, for a moment. To Gaara it was like being a small kid again...but this time he had a...he had a... what? What did this girl mean to him? _'Is she my friend?'_ Gaara thought as he stopped tickling her senseless. He watched her face still giggling and smiling, breathing hard.

"Heh, heh...ha, ha, o-owww my diaphragm...heh, heh..." Belle laughed a smile still on her face and her one hand clutching her stomach. She looked over at Gaara seeing the slight confusion, so she explained, "Sometimes when you laugh too hard, like a joyous laugh or being tickled, the part above your stomach starts hurting, but it isn't a bad hurt. There's nothing wrong." She assured her red headed companion. Gaara just nodded, but Belle didn't think he really understood. Belle slightly moved her feet to find that they had been released from whatever held them. So she did something other people would say was rash or total suicide.

She jumped Gaara till she was practically straddling his waist. To say that Gaara was surprised would be an understatement, he was shocked. Before he could register what in the world this girl was thinking, Belle had lightly touched his side, a feather light touch. Of course the sand was not protecting him from her touch. It sent a pleasant feeling through his body and couldn't help, but crack a small smile and chuckle. Gaara's eyes locked with Belle's and he saw the victorious look she had. So knowing that Gaara was at least ticklish made Belle overly pleased, so she decided to return the favour of the tickling from earlier. Belle started tickling his sides. Gaara was soon laughing hard, but not as loud as Belle had been.

* * *

It had been fifteen minutes since Kakashi left the girls' gym class and there was still no sign of Belle and no sign of Gaara in the boys' gym class either. Kakashi started looking for them all over the village and soon got information about a brown haired girl with Sabaku no Gaara heading towards the Hokage monument. He had just reached the top when he saw Gaara lunging at Belle. He had been ready to intervene when he heard some of the conversation about an obvious sketch book in her hands and the playfulness in Belle's eyes and movements. Kakashi decided that Belle was in no danger, but also that he should stay a while longer to make sure things didn't turn violent.

Kakashi couldn't believe what he just saw. Gaara had forgotten about the book, and instead pursued Belle to tickle her. He also saw the slight smile that graced his face for that one moment of a second. Kakashi watched as Belle regained her breath and did something even he wasn't expecting; she jumped Gaara, straddling him, and started tickling him! Kakashi didn't think Gaara would feel anything under all that sand armour, but low and behold Gaara started laughing. Not a maniacal laugh, but a genuine happy laugh. Belle was still smiling and laughing with him, just having a great time. It was clear to Kakashi then that Belle had never been in any danger, so he carefully slipped away.

* * *

Gaara had finally pried the playful female off if him. Both Belle and Gaara were panting from laughter they caused each other. Gaara propped himself up a little and looked down on her, watching as her chest rises and falls with her breathing, her mouth parted, her eyes closed. He just starred at her, at this female that had made him laugh, that had... had...what else had she done to him? _'What is she doing to me? I hate other males starring at her...she makes me feel so relaxed and calm...and...and...normal? Not a monster everyone fears?...'_ his mind paused at this thought, then continues, _'Does she not know what I've done?...Do I want her know?'_ Gaara was so consumed in thought that he did not realize the girl that plagued his mind was starring right back at him, seeing the confusion in his eyes.

"Gaara, you okay?" Belle asks worriedly, waving a hand in front of his face. This brings him out of his thoughts blinking at her. "Is everything okay Gaara?" Belle asks again looking up at him. Gaara starred into her eyes to see the concern swirling in their blue green depths. Gaara's mask returns and nods his head. Belle somehow didn't believe him, so she pestered, "Are you sure?" Gaara's stare looked straight into her eyes and saw just how far her concern went. For once in his life he couldn't hold his own at another's stare, from all that concern and care in her eyes for him. Him!

Gaara didn't think before he said something that had him puzzled a little, "You're my friend." He didn't know why it sounded more like a question than a statement. Hell he didn't even know if they were friends, but he liked the idea of having her as a friend. Though some feelings he has for her are confusing, he just knew he cared for her at least. Gaara didn't look at her as he waited for her response, but heard her shift.

Belle was a little shocked at the question. _'We're friends. Even though we've just met, I know we're friends.'_ Belle's thought finishes. Gaara was her friend and deep in her soul she knew that. Maybe also that he might mean something more to her heart as well. Belle had shifted her body so she was propped up by her elbows and gently touched Gaara's arm to command his attention.

"Funny, I thought we were already friends, but yes Gaara I believe I am a friend of yours and you have to be my very first friend I've ever had." Belle finishes saying looking into his eyes smiling a gentle and reassuring smile.

Gaara couldn't help but feel this light feeling in his heart, as though his heart was bursting with this emotion. He had gotten to know this emotion well, the fact that Belle saw him as a friend made him happy. He had another true friend in his life...at least until she found out what he had done, what he was. _'Mine as well enjoy her friendship while it lasts...'_ Gaara thought as a slight tug pulled a corner of his lips into a small smile. Belle saw that little smile and what Gaara didn't know was that, that little smile softened his features and eyes; it was a good look for him. Contentment.

Belle was beaming on the inside with happiness that she had gotten her friend to smile. She wanted to tell him that he should smile more, and that it was a good look for him, but she didn't want to ruin this perfect moment. Unfortunately, like time, moments soon flee into the past and the future becomes the present, the moment was over.

Belle had noticed her sketch book was missing, so she quickly scanned the area for it. Once she located it with her eyes, Gaara's sand had already picked it up and brought it over to him. Belle gave up on trying to keep the book away from him, so instead she scooted closer to Gaara. He thought she was going to try to swipe the book, but her movements were too slow, so he let her get closer to him. Gaara had thought she was just going to look over his arm, but instead startled him when she went under his one arm and rested her head back on his shoulder.

Gaara tensed at the unexpected contact, but couldn't make his body move her off of him. He didn't relax till she stopped shifting and her eyes drooped closed, relaxing, falling into a light sleep. Every muscle in his body began to relax as Belle rested her weight against his form. Deep inside him the Shakaku purred at all the contact between him and Belle. Gaara was almost thankful that the Shukaku liked her, so then he didn't have to worry about it harming her. Yet at the same time made him a little nervous at what the Shukaku wanted with her.

All the nervousness of the Shukaku fled when he felt her face bury a little bit into his clothes. Gaara's hand, on instinct, draped itself over her waist. He paid little mind to it. Instead, focused on the book in his hands, well _hand_ now since the other was on Belle's waist.

Placing the book in his lap, he began flipping the pages the pages starting from the most recent to ones further into the past. There were pictures of landscape, village scenes and some portraits of people. There was a good one of Naruto with his goofy grin and acting like, well Naruto, not much else to say there. His eyes of course big, bright, and filled with all the confidence that a true Hokage would posses. Gaara knew Naruto would reach his dream and be one damn good Hokage someday.

Another was one of Hinata with her shy face, but the eyes held determination and strength, but that small smile softened the intensity of the eyes, as well as her signature blush. Gaara was thoroughly impressed. He had known Hinata was striving to become stronger to help Naruto with changing the Hyuuga ways.

There were more pictures and all held what her eyes must have portrayed to her.

Then he saw one of himself. He just stared at it. _'Could that be me? Does she really see that person in me?'_ It was a pictured of him standing as though ready to fight, but his body position was a little off than his normal. It was a protective stance. His one arm was out stretched as if making sure he kept the person behind him, protecting them. His eyes said that if you dare to harm this person I will not hesitate to kill you. His sand of course looked as though it was moving dangerously.

The next picture shocked him even more. It was a group picture, with Naruto, Hinata, him, and Belle all relaxing in a green field of grass. Naruto looked as though talking animatedly, while Hinata smiled and blushed as though laughing at what Naruto said. Belle was laid sprawled out smiling sleepily, as she looked gently at Gaara in the picture. Gaara blinked a few times as he looked over the picture of himself. That Gaara had the softest of a smile at the corner of his mouth, his eyes almost shut as though chuckling at something. Gaara looks closer to see that, that Gaara's eyes were slightly open and looking gently at Belle.

Gaara liked that picture. Looking at that picture made him feel that maybe he could be _that_ Gaara. That he could be that carefree, yet in the portrait before still be someone dangerous that would protect the ones closest to him. Gaara knew why he was in Kahona, to have relationships that would make him stronger, the same way Naruto is strong, because he had friends to protect and draw strength from. Naruto had become his first friend and he already feels stronger, because of their friendship. Gaara was still uncertain of the strength of their friendship, but feels as though the more time spent with her, the stronger the pull to protect her.

Belle shifted slightly in her sleep, causing Gaara's hand to tighten a little on her waist. He shot a glance at the sleeping girl resting so carefree against him. Gaara saw the innocence in her features, but couldn't help notice the slight weary look of her face, the type of look that happens after a great ordeal or loss. He wanted to know what had happened, but knew it must have had something to do with her mother, for he remembered her song. Gaara felt as well that he should tell her of his past if she does not already know, but pain shot through his heart at the thought of her rejecting him because of what he was in the past.

Gaara casts one last longing glance at the group picture and flips to the next page, where his blood runs cold.

It was another portrait, this time of Saskue Uchiha. The background was a soul sucking black that hid some of the Uchiha's body and face. The Uchiha had his back facing the observer, but slightly twisted as though turning to look behind him. His eyes were as black if not darker than the background or the shadows that surround him, and held malicious if not an almost evil intent toward the observer. His smirk was ever present, which just made it as though whatever malevolent thing he was thinking was just a joke. Or, that he knew he'd get away with it.

Gaara wasn't sure what to think, as he felt the Shukaku growl at the picture. He already knew he didn't like the way the Uchiha looked at her, but also maybe this picture shows that she has noticed what malevolence and vengeance must lace the Uchiha's heart. Gaara hasn't been fond of the Uchiha as of late, especially after what had happened yesterday when he had caught him looking at Belle's chest. He feels his blood begin to boil just at the memory from the previous day, but before he could feel the Shukaku into letting him out to kill the whelp, a soft sigh attracts his attention.

Gaara looks down to see a content smile spread across her face as she shifts her body again, her face nuzzled in his clothes and one hand slightly clutching his shirt. Belle looked so fragile in his eyes at that moment. His hand travelled from her waist further up to her back, just holding her close. Closing the sketch book, all thoughts of the Uchiha fled his mind, as he listened to her steady heart beat.

Gaara almost wished that he and Belle could stay like this, relaxed, comfortable with each others' touch and presence, knowing that you were safe in each others' arms. Then another thought was formed in his mind, _'Does she feel so safe around me that she just lets her guard down, enough to fall asleep against me?'_ That must be the answer to why she was resting against him. Belle felt safe in his presence, in his arms. Gaara couldn't help the pride that clutched his heart at the thought that she felt safe around him. He knew then that he will not have her trust in being safe around him misplaced, he couldn't understand it, but Gaara knew that Belle was someone important to him.

* * *

Kurenai had just announced the end of class and was still a little dazed at what Kakashi had told her. _'Sabaku no Gaara, tickling a girl senseless and putting himself in a vulnerable position by letting said girl tickle him back. I knew the world has gone mad. Well at least Belle wasn't in any danger.'_ Kurenai finishes her thought as she enters the school.

"Hey Kurenai!" Kurenai sighs as she faces the voice that had called her name, Gai.

"Hey Gai, what is it?" Kurenai asks knowing that the next few words that reverberate out of his mouth will have the word 'youth' in it.

"Why the power of youth of course!" 'Of course...' Kurenai thinks as Gai continues, "I just thought of an excellent way of spreading the invigorating youthfulness of nature to our students. A camping trip! We can have the students review their survival training and learn more of nature's abundance in rejuvenating youth each year! Ha ha ha!" Gai finishes laughing with his mouth wide open.

Kurenai thought that it wasn't such a bad idea, so she says, "That's actually not a bad idea, and there have been a lack of missions for some of our students. So when should this camping trip be and where?"

"We shall have the trip the day after tomorrow leaving early in the morning. As for the location..." Gai had nothing more to say, he'd only gotten to when the trip would take place. Kurenai sweat dropped.

Sighing she asked, "The night after tomorrow is the huge meteor shower and you wanted a good excuse to go didn't you?" Gai looked at her rubbing the back of his head nervously, and smiling. In aggravation Kurenai sighs.

"Alright. We can have the camping trip, but you have to get more jonin to come along to chaperone. I'll get Asuma to find a good location nearby and since we're going mine as well find a pond or lake or something so the students can go swimming." Kurenai finishes and leaves as Gai shouts and punches the air in victory.

Kurenai could only think, _'This is either going to be fun or total hell. Better figure out sleeping arrangements.'_

_****__

* * *

_

AN: Okay I've finally gotten close to the amount of words I wanted for the chapter which is supposed to be close to 6,000 like my first two. Sorry it took so long but school, which is now over, and i would get writter's block or wouldn't know how to continue. So it's up now! YAY!


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I just wanted to do a shout out to Rasemina for reviewing my chapters and helping me with anything I might've missed and for giving me a good idea! THANK YOU RANSEMINA!**

_**The next day/morning**_

'_GAAAAAAAHHHHH! I'm going to be late ONCE again! I really should stop staying up late.'_ These were Belle's thoughts as she rushes through her house getting ready for school. Belle searches for her school bag, raking her brain for where on earth she could have left it. She was able to find her homework, but just not the darn bag to put it in.

Mean while her bag sits by the front door watching her run around looking distressed. If bags could talk, hers would be laughing its butt off at her.

Belle finally finds it, stuffing her work inside and feeling like such an idiot. She never could remember clearly where she put things when she was in a panic. Unfortunately, because she wasted so much time looking she had no breakfast and was unable to pack a lunch for later. Belle quickly looks at a nearby clock to see that she would really have to book it to make it to school. Wasting no time she starts her running.

Temptation to not hold back her speed flooded her mind, knowing she would make it before the bell even rang. Belle banished the temptation from her mind knowing that making it to class on time was not worth it. She already knew the speed she had displayed a couple days prior was...uncommon for her age, but that was the most she could suppress it after being startled by Gai sensei.

Belle runs straight into the school and doesn't slow down as she makes sharp turns to get to her classroom. The bell hasn't rung yet, but she could tell the clock was ticking. Rounding the last corner she reaches her classroom, skidding to stop just feet away. Kakashi was standing right in front of her bemused at her wide eyes of shock, as she stumbles back a few feet.

"You know Belle running is the halls is against school rules and if you're going to run in them you really should make an effort not to get caught." Kakashi lectures, smiling behind his mask. Belle notices the bell hasn't rung yet. _'I must be earlier than I had anticipated.'_ Belle thought as she formulated a plan and what to say to her white haired sensei.

"You're absolutely right, except for one minor detail. You haven't caught me YET!" As Belle says the last sentence she runs towards him, side stepping just an inch from touching him. Using one hand she pushes Kakashi lightly from behind to make him stumble forward just a little to surprise him. Belle keeps running right through the doors into her classroom. The bell finally rings as she makes her way to her seat, only to find someone already sitting in it.

It was Gaara, he had stolen her seat. Belle raises an eyebrow at him questionably, but he just motions slightly with his head to the empty seat that had belonged to him. Sighing she just accepts the fact that Gaara had stolen her spot and wanted her to sit in his old one. Belle manuvers past Gaara, and his gourd, and sits herself down in the corner of the room. As she looks to the front of the room she notices that Irukia wasn't there.

"Cutting a little close today." says the voice of none other than Gaara himself. He was leaning forward on his elbows, his head propped up by his knuckles facing forward, but his eyes looked straight at her waiting for a reply.

Belle yawned tiredly, before answering, "Yeah I guess so. Just stayed up too late last night and spent too much time looking for my bag this morning." She lets out another yawn before resting her head in her arms on the desk mumbling to Gaara, "Wake me when the teacher comes in."

Gaara silently chuckles to himself at her tiredness.

* * *

Half an hour passed by, everyone was chatting with each other and Belle was napping peacefully. Gaara was listening to Naruto talking animatedly to him, since he decided to come up to talk to him. Naruto was about to say something else when Kakashi walked into the room reading his book.

This attracted Naruto's attention, blurting out "Kakashi sensei what're you doing here?"

"I'm the substitute for your class." Kakashi replies to Naruto's outburst placing the book down on the desk.

"Then why are you half an hour late!" Naruto shouts annoyed.

Instead of an excuse Kakashi says to Naruto, "Why are you out of your seat?"

Naruto opens and closes his mouth trying to think of something to say, but couldn't come up with anything. He stares down dejectedly and grumbles as he makes his way to his seat. Gaara takes a side glance at Belle to see that she was mostly awake, most like from Naruto's outburst.

"With that out of the way." Kakashi says watching Naruto make his way to his seat, then continues, "Irukia is away on a mission, so I've been assigned to his class. Other than his regular math work sheets, (groan throughout entire class) there is not much here. Also tomorrow all of you are going on a camping trip to practice survival training, so I suggest you pack light and bring swim wear. There's going to be a pond near the camp site."

Before everyone could start talking about the trip, Kakashi killed the excitement with the work sheets Irukia had left. Everyone spent the last half hour working on math problems and looking at the clock. Belle of course finished most of the questions and helped Gaara with some of his.

The bell rang and everyone started heading for gym class, but Belle had a sneaking suspicion she'd forgotten her clothes for gym. Stopping to the side of the hall she rummages through her bag to see in fact she had forgotten to grab her gym clothes. Grumbling she heads in the other direction to the school doors.

Gaara had walked ahead and turned around to see Belle walking the other way. Curious he follows her, catching up. Belle glances at her red headed friend smiling sheepishly and saying, "Forgot my gym clothes."

Gaara shakes his head in his hands, saying "You've forgotten a lot today haven't you?" Belle could hear the smirk in his voice.

"Normally I don't forget things, but in some cases when I start panicking, like this morning, things just slip my mind." Belle finishes and shrugs her shoulders, as they exit the school heading towards her house.

* * *

While Belle and Gaara were gone, Kurenai and Gai were giving the students their tent arrangements.

"...okay Sakura and Ino," Kurenai said looking at the two students, seeing them reluctantly agree, before continuing "alright, Tenten and Hinata you two are sharing a tent." Both girls smile and nod.

"Alrighty boys! Here's the youthful list; Saskue and Naruto, Shikamaru and Choji, Kiba and Shino, Neji and my youthful student Lee!..." Gai continued until finishing and smiling brightly.

Sakura was the one who spoke up first when she noticed something, "Wait what about Belle and Gaara? Aren't they coming?" Sakura finishes looking confused at the teachers.

"Yeah or do they get tents to themselves! Talk about favouritism!" Ino accuses looking at Kurenai and Gai. Kurenai shakes her head in irritation.

"No the two are going to share a tent." Shizune says walking through the crowd of students. Everyone was absolutely silent, not sure of what to say to the unusual predicament. "Don't look all shocked. Nothing's going to happen between the two, besides Gaara will most likely spend the night outside since he doesn't sleep at night." Shizune finishes trying to ease the uncertainty of the students. She could still see the disturbed faces on the boys, but most of the girls were giggling silently, while some of the other girls seemed pissed. (I'm adding in some other made up characters).

Shizune looked through the faces of the students to see that the students in question were nowhere to be seen. She still remembers what see had seen the previous day in the halls and wonders if her decision about them sharing a tent was wise.

* * *

FLASH BACK

_Shizune was busy with some school papers and was on her way to the Hokage building to see Lady Tsunade, but before she exited the school she turned back to get something she had forgotten. All the students were in from gym and well into genjutsu class or so she thought. Shizune was about to exit her office when someone carrying someone else ran by her, turning the corner down the hall. Quickly putting down her papers she goes after the two figures._

_Turning the corner she meets an empty hallway. Shizune was puzzled and decided to check the nearest classroom, which she knew as to be Belle's room for her arts. Peering in through the window slit in the door being careful not to be seen. To her astonishment she saw Gaara with Belle sleeping peacefully in his arms, while he looked around the room looking for something. Shizune became concerned wondering if Gaara had done something to her, but curious as to what he was looking for._

_Looking a little disgruntled Gaara sighs. Gaara uses his sand to hold Belle gently while he takes his gourd off his shoulder and places a book on a table, before taking Belle from his sand and back into his arms. He sits down in a nearby chair, sitting Belle across his lap. In her sleep Belle immediately shifts her body into his, moving her head onto his shoulder and nuzzles the crook his neck, sighing, and feeling her breath upon his skin. Gaara had stayed perfectly still waiting for her to stop moving, before he wrapped his arms gently around her, letting out a breath he had been holding. _

_This is when Shizune saw something she didn't know Gaara was capable of. Gaara had turned his head slightly to look from the corner of his eyes at Belle. What astounded her was the small smirk he made and the look in his eyes. His cold eyes that had showed nothing but anger, hate and possibly insanity, was showing tenderness towards Belle. _

_Sighing and closing his eyes, Gaara rests his head in the crook of her neck, his breath fanning her skin. This causes her body to slightly move, her head exposing more of her neck to Gaara, and as a slight groan escapes her throat. Shizune might not have heard the subtle noise had she not been trying so hard to listen. Shizune also notices Gaara's hold on her slightly tightens._

_Before Shizune knew it the bell had rung, scaring the life out of her and almost making her gasp. She watches as Belle shifts more and slowly wakes up. Gaara retracts his head from the crook of her neck, loosening his hold, and watching her wake up in his arms. Belle looks around confused at her surroundings, before realizing where she was sitting. A blush spreads across her cheeks as she carefully extracts herself from Gaara's grasp. Shizune could see the slight reluctance in her eyes as Belle did so, as well as Gaara's when letting her go._

"_Sorry for falling asleep on you Gaara. I guess I was more tired than I thought." Belle finishes laughing weakly. Gaara nods acknowledging her apology. Looking around again, still blushing like mad, looking still slightly confused Belle asks, "How did we get here when we were on top of the Hokage monument?" Belle focuses her attention on Gaara._

"_I carried you." Gaara said, simple and blunt. Shizune smiled slightly when Belle's face turned beat red and looking flustered. Gaara just watches, curious at her reaction._

"_I'm so sorry you had to carry me all this way, but you could've just woke me up." Belle says looking at a very interesting stitch in the hem of her shirt that her fingers were fiddling with. Gaara stares at her puzzled, and then gets out of the chair walking up towards the female in front of him. Belle looks up to meet his eyes seeing the smirk in them._

_A lock of curly, brown hair was partially covering Belle's face. Gaara gently used one of his hands to tuck the lock behind her ear while saying, "You apologize too much," Gaara saw the defiance in her eyes and quickly continued, "besides it was no trouble." Shizune could tell that the part Gaara hadn't spoken, the '__**I could've woken you up but didn't**__' part, still hung in the air around them. His face was void of almost all emotion while he spoke, except for that subtle softness._

_Belle was, of course, void of her voice and could only numbly nod her head in agreement. Gaara was smirking and slightly chuckling at how speechless the girl before him was. "Come, that was the lunch bell." Was all it took for Belle to regain her voice and break the slight trance she seemed to have been under. Shizune quickly leaves the window of the door and makes it look like she was just passing by and on her way back to the office and the papers she had almost forgotten she had to deliver. _

_Once again with the papers in hand she couldn't help think of what she witnessed. She could tell it was a tender moment between the two students, and felt guilty for spying on them, but that is sometimes the price for curiosity. _

* * *

Shizune stilled wondered, as she watched the gym classes continue without the two missing students, if it was right to put Belle and Gaara together. "_It's not like they're going to do anything while there's a bunch of other students around, especially if Gai, Kakashi, Kurenai, and I will be there."_ Shizune whispers to herself quietly.

The students were currently working on sparring techniques, outside. The gym door begins to open, but before it was opened too far Kurenai had already disappeared and reappeared in front of them. Shizune watches intently as Kurenai talks with her late student and Gai's late student as well.

"Belle we're doing sparring techniques today. So keeping in mind the note you had given me a couple days earlier, you are excused from gym class today." Kurenai pauses as Belle nods her head in understanding and the fear that had sprung a little into her eyes dissipate. Kurenai shifts her gaze to Gaara who was standing patiently beside Belle and clearly in no hurry to leave. "Since you were late as well and tend to skip, I'm not even going to bother with a punishment. You'd just disappear anyway." Kurenai finishes with a shrug and heads back to the other students who were busy working on sparring with each other and trying to kill a wooden post.

Gaara had already retreated back inside and Belle was following closely behind. "I'll quickly go get changed and meet up with you later." Belle says smiling, before lightly jogging over to the girls change room. Gaara watches her disappear behind the door, as he makes his way over to the boys change room to get out of his own gym clothes.

Belle's thoughts were running through her head as she started getting undressed. Her mind had started thinking of what had happened the previous day, when she had awoken in, not only Gaara's arms, but his lap as well! A slight blush creeps across her face just at the memory. '_He was probably just trying to be nice, seeing how tired I usually am. Nothing else..._' Belle ponders, trying to convince herself, but to no avail as her thoughts continue, '_...but, if it was nothing then why did he push the hair out of my face..._' Belle lightly bites her bottom lip still thinking, absent mindedly brushing the said hair out of her face. She was almost done putting her black capri's on, and was getting close to reaching for her dark purple t-shirt, to put on next. Belle could still remember the light touch of his hand on her skin and the slight warm sensation it sent throughout her body. Belle would admit to herself that the feeling had stunned her somewhat. Before her thoughts and memories could continue to distract her she finally put on her dark purple t-shirt and grabbed her bag to meet up with the very red head she was thinking about.

Unfortunately, some of the other girls, Belle had yet to learn the names of, marched in, blocking the exit of the change room into the hall way. There were at least six-seven girls, and some had even blocked the exit to the gym. All of them were starring intensely, and quite frankly, angrily at, but Belle didn't know why. Had she offended them somehow? Three of the girls stepped forward; Belle knew that these three must've been in charge, especially the one in the centre flanked by the other two. Normally anyone else would be nervous even afraid, being out numbered at least six to one, but Belle stood there in the centre of the room smiling as if they were just a bunch of friends yet to be made. Though inside she was worried that there might be some conflict; judging the faces of the surrounding student body. Belle had already noticed some of the cuts and bruises on the other girls, most likely using them as an excuse to come into the change room.

"Well if it isn't the new girl, Isabella was it?" asked the female being flanked on either side by her friends.

"Yep, but I prefer to be called Belle, but I'm afraid I don't know yours or your companions' names." Belle replied and looked around to the females surrounding her then back to the head female who seemed to have jet black hair held back in a high ponytail and reaching almost to the floor.

Dark purple eyes burrowed into Belle's bluish green ones, before snapping, "Shut up bitch!" Belle was a little confused when the female called her a bitch and thought '_Since when was I a female dog?'_ "If you must know my name is Akiri." Akiri finished with a sickly sweet smile. Belle nods her head still smiling.

"It is nice to meet you Akiri and I hope to learn the rest your names as well," Belle pauses smiling at the other females in the room happily, before continuing, "but I have to meet up with a friend of mine ..."

But before Belle could finish her sentence, Akiri finished it for her, "Sabaku no Gaara." Akiri was glaring at Belle fiercely, but Belle's smile didn't falter.

"Yep. That's right. I better go it's rude to keep people waiting." Belle said happily and made a move to pass the head female. Now Belle had amazing reflexes, but in that instant she didn't use them. Hell she even knew they were all being hostile towards her, but she had hoped to avoid conflict. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case, because as Belle was just passing Akiri, Akiri sent a punch to Belle's side, sending her a few feet closer to the wall. Belle looked at Akiri confused. Why had she punched her? What did she do? Belle wasn't sure of what she did to get punched, but she could see they were all expecting her to clutch her side in pain; to look angry, to retaliate, to fight back. The truth was though, the punch did hurt, but she had incredible pain tolerance, so the punch felt like nothing more than maybe a black fly bite, if even that. Also, if they wanted a fight out of her or her fear they were terribly mistaken, Belle wasn't about to give them the satisfaction, even if she could fight back and Belle knew for a fact she wasn't scared of them. So to Akiri's and the rest of them she just smiled and asked calmly, "Why did you punch me Akiri? What have I done to warrant such behaviour?" Akiri was infuriated at the lack of fear in Belle's voice.

"What did you DO? WHAT DID YOU DO? You're practically stealing Gaara-kun from us!" Akiri said accusingly at this brunette who just looked at her bewildered and confused.

"I didn't know Gaara belonged to anyone, let alone a group of people." Belle was confused, absolutely and utterly confused. "I thought Gaara was his own person." Belle said as an afterthought.

"Grrrrrr..." Akiri took a breath trying to calm herself before continuing with a more intelligent conversation, though with great agitation, "We have been individually trying to gain Gaara's attention and affections for a couple months now. None of us succeeding, but then you show up. With your big eyes and innocent smile, and immediately he takes to you. We've tried to get his attention and every time one of tried he'd growl at us to leave him be and give us that icy death glare." Akiri shivered at the memory of it, as did some of the other girls. "We have also tried to befriend him first, but that doesn't pan out either, seeing how it is very difficult." Akiri added disgruntled. Belle just starred at her looking innocent and confused thinking, '_Difficult becoming Gaara's friend? He's just like any other person...with the awesome ability to control sand! I'm his friend and he's my friend also, so how is it difficult?_'

Belle was losing herself to her thoughts of the red headed male who was waiting for her. She was brought out of her thoughts when a kick to the hip knocked her out of it, and off her feet, straight into the nearest wall, hurting her shoulder and side of her head, blood slightly trickling down the side of her head. Thanks to her tolerance Belle just stood up ignoring the throbbing pain in her head, acting as if she never was hit. She looked back at Akiri and the other girls closing in on her.

"You don't get it bitch. We want you to stay away from Gaara-kun. Understand?" Akiri said with that sickly sweet voice as the other girls nodded in her agreement and tried to look intimidating as possible.

"No." Belle's voice was flat. There was no way she was going to stop being Gaara's friend because of these girls.

Akiri was smirking as she spoke, "Well that's a shame. Guess the use for _polite _conversation is over and we'll have to be a little more _persuasive._" That was their queue to start encroaching on Belle's personal space. One of the females yanked her bag away from her and tossed it over somewhere in the room, and only by luck did land right beside an exit.

Belle wasn't afraid of them. All they could do was beat her up, maybe break a couple of bones, but Belle knew of a worse fate.

They all relished in taking turns landing a punch on the female who wasn't even putting up a fight. Though making sure not to strike her face, the last thing they needed was a sensei finding out what they have been doing. Though none paid any mind to the blood trickling down the one side of her head.

One of the other females had the great idea of cutting off Belle's ponytail, Belle's eyes just widened as she decided it was time to _try_ and escape, but all of them were too close to her. They all just grabbed hold of her, pinning her down on the ground. Belle was tempted in using her strength, but stopped herself and let one of the females not on top of her grab her ponytail. _'At least I had put my ponytail at the base of my head so I won't have this awful hair cut...'_ Belle thought trying to look on the bright side, but she had spent the last year trying to grow out her hair. Belle felt the female move the hair tie a little lower down her hair, before placing a kunai under her hair, just above the tie. She closed her eyes in defeat as she felt every strand of her hair being cut clean through. Once all the strands had been cut all the females got off of her and let her at least sit up on her knees. Belle opened her eyes to the loose circle they had formed taunting her with her ponytail still intact thanks to the tie holding it together. As much as Belle wanted to cry, she didn't, that would come later away from prying eyes, but until then she wouldn't let these vicious females have the superficial glory of her shedding a single tear, because of their deeds against her.

While they laughed and celebrated their _victory_ Belle quickly scanned the circle looking for an opening, having waited long enough for an opening. She couldn't help but smile, they had become careless with their supposed victory. Akiri and her companions had left a gaping hole in their circle around Belle. Just as they turned to deliver another round of beatings, Belle took the opening, using speed and agility none of them had ever seen, even Lee would have trouble...well maybe not, but they had sworn they'd done some serious damage to her. Belle had a while ago decided to feign being too injured to move, just for the purpose of having them lowering their guard, thinking that their prey was unable to move very fast. They had tried to jump on her, to grab her, but she moved effortlessly out of their grasps easily making it to the door and grabbing her bag in the process.

Belle was already out the door and running down the hallway. She could hear their voices yelling at each other to find her, more precisely Akiri ordering everyone else. All Belle could think about was finding Gaara and running into his arms for comfort and safety from the cruelty she was shown by her own classmates. Tears were threatening to fall any minute, from how the way she was treated for just being Gaara's friend by a bunch of vicious, jealous females who thought they **owned** Gaara. Belle started panicking as she remembered that Gaara had been waiting for her, most likely a long time. '_He must think I stood him up..._' Belle thought as she continued to run through the academy looking for her friend and avoiding the enraged group of females trying to hunt her down. She could also feel her heart aching for Gaara, hoping he wasn't mad or hurt by her for not showing up.

After searching every hallway, every room in the academy still avoiding and out manuvering the crazed girls Belle concluded he wasn't in the academy. This just helped her, because then she could just leave the academy and those sadistic females would think she was still in the building. Belle found the nearest exit to the academy and went out into the village. She only had one place to check for her red headed companion. The Hokage monument.

Though it didn't take long to discreetly reach the land mark, it felt like an eternity to Belle's heart, which was seeking comfort from her friend. As she reached the top Belle let out a sigh of relief to see a tuff of bright red hair leaning against a boulder looking over the village. A smile graced her lips.

"Hey Gaara!" Belle couldn't keep the sound of relief from her voice as she approached Gaara. Gaara did not respond let alone look at her he just stared aimlessly over the village. Belle's heart was aching and the tears that she tried to keep back were so close to falling, because she felt like she had hurt her friend.

Gaara had seen her coming towards the monument. He was still evidently mad; angery, pissed, hurt...wait what? Gaara knew he felt something for this female and her not showing up had hurt him, inside. When Belle had finally arrived he didn't bother answering her or looking at her. At that he felt two contradicting things. One was that he wanted to be left **alone**, especially by **her**, but at the same time wanted **her** close, to have **her** comfort **him**. Gaara was beginning to doubt his sanity, again, and the Shukaku was having a laughing fit at his contradicting emotions. '_Stupid demon..._' Gaara thought with aggravation.

Belle approached her friend slowly, using every ounce of will power to not start crying, but it was becoming very difficult. She stopped two feet away from him. Now she wasn't scared of him, no. She just felt that he might want his space, but she wanted him to tell her to go away or stay, she'd understand either way. Belle couldn't help, but bite her lip a little as she waited for him to speak. When he didn't Belle decided to speak instead, "I'm sorry, I had no intention of standing you up or ditching you...I had gotten held up-"

"By what?" Gaara interrupted gruffly, still not looking at her.

"A bunch of girls with a problem." Belle answered and added in a thought '_Yeah, me being your friend...'_ Gaara heard no lying in her voice, but there was also something she wasn't letting slip. As much as Gaara wanted to know he let it go and forgave her, her voice had also sounded sincere in her apology. Belle could practically feel that Gaara had forgiven her, because the tension in his body lessened, so she placed her bag down and sprawled out on the ground beside him. Her muscles thanked her has they became loose and given a chance to heal from the beating from earlier.

Belle still wanted to cry and to have Gaara hold her in his arms, but she just let things be as she used her bag as a pillow, letting her head rest on it while still looking out over the village. Alas it was not meant to be, because Gaara had noticed her sudden _hair cut_.

"What happened to your h-" Gaara stopped mid sentence as he carefully examined her body with his eyes, before growling out instead, "_What happened?_" Gaara could see the evident bruising on her arms, legs, even a tiny bit of blood, _**her**_ blood, on the side of her head, though most of it was dry. The Shukaku was roaring inside his head from pure outrage. Hell the Shukaku wasn't the only one roaring on the inside. Gaara was beside himself with fury and was wondering who would dare hurt her? He had noticed Belle still hadn't answered his question.

"Belle...?" Gaara asked more gently. Belle turned her head to look at him, tears already falling from her face without her even blinking. His heart started aching uncontrollably, because she had been hurting when she arrived just a few minutes ago and he hadn't noticed. Gaara hated seeing her cry, that he was certain of, but he didn't know what to do.

Luckily for Gaara, Belle could see in his eyes that he wanted to do something, but didn't know what, so she did it for him. Belle lifted herself off the ground and made her way into Gaara's lap, leaning peacefully against him. Gaara noticed his arms seemed to have a mind of their own and encircled the female in his lap.

Gaara could tell her tears have subsided. He felt Belle's arms wrap around his chest as she buries her face in his clothes. Gaara doesn't move as he listens to her slow, even, breathing and the rhythmic beating of her heart. Normally, Gaara would have stopped someone from coming so close to him, but Belle was the one person he couldn't push away, if anything he wanted her closer to him. To have this caring; comforting, warm presence with him always and to protect it.

Gaara starred at Belle, waiting for her to show her face. Almost all his previous fury subsided on the inside. He wanted to know what happened to her, though he had a feeling that the girls she had mentioned earlier were the cause.

Belle was feeling so much better, being wrapped in his arms and breathing in his warm scent. Gaara's touch had sent that warm pleasant feeling through her body once more, sending away the hurt and sadness she had felt.

"Belle?"

"Hm?" came Belle's muffled response from Gaara's clothing.

"What happened." It wasn't a question, it was more of a demand, and Belle knew she had to answer. Belle pulled her face from his clothes and looked up into his sea foam green eyes, the colour of her own eyes standing out more from her crying. She begins telling Gaara everything that had happened, and when he asked why she hadn't fought back, she also told him her reasons, except about a worse fate and the consequences if she did.

Gaara looks at Belle's face seeing new tears beginning to form at the corner of her eyes. He wanted to make her feel better, to see her smile, even just a little. Seeing her tears upon her face looked wrong in Gaara's eyes. He still wanted to punish those females that dare harm her, but decided he would make a threat to the next one that tries to get his attention instead.

"Belle?"

"Yes Gaara?"

"Thank you." He said it barely above a whisper.

Belle looked at him confused. "For what?" she asked tilting her head to one side.

"Remember what I wanted to tell you yesterday?" Gaara replied looking at the female in his arms. Belle just nods her head that indeed she did remember. "I wanted to say thank you for helping me with that last question in math." Gaara finishes waiting for a response. Belle looked at him a little surprised but a smile soon broke out across her face.

"You're very welcome. If you need help with anything else, I'd be glad to offer my assistance." Belle says laughing lightly and playfully, before nuzzling her face in his clothes again, a smile still on her face. Gaara was pleased with himself for getting a smile out of her and still couldn't believe that Belle had taken a beating, because she was his friend. He was happy though that she didn't stop being his friend, because a bunch of jealous females. Not to mention thankful. Gaara was enjoying the moment he was having with Belle, until Shukaku decided to be perverted.

The Shukaku decided to tell Gaara that Belle had offered her assistance in _**anything**_. Gaara was glad at that moment Belle had her face in his shirt, because after what the Shukaku had insinuated and shown him; there was no possible way in hiding the blush that had overtaken his face, but by the grace of some kami made him push the image away before he became _excited_. '_Stupid, stupid, infinity and beyond stupidity! Damn demon._' This was Gaara's thought pattern as he let out a small, almost inaudible groan of annoyance.

Now, because Belle had her face nuzzling his clothed chest, she was able to hear his groan. As Belle looked up, Gaara turned his head as much as he could to try and hide the blush in his features, this action peaked her curiosity. "What's wrong Gaara?" Belle asked innocently, and concerned, while trying to see his face.

"Nothing." Gaara answered trying to hold the withering female in his lap, so she didn't see him blushing, but Belle was determined. She relinquished her arms from around Gaara's chest to rest her hands on his shoulders. Even though Gaara's arms were keeping her from lifting herself up to get a better look at his face, they didn't stop her from shifting her position from sitting on his lap to straddling his waist. Belle didn't know that what she was doing was a very intimate gesture; Gaara didn't notice it was that kind of gesture when Shukaku showed him another picture, which practically sent fire through his veins. Gaara decided it best to stand up and have his back to her, so using his sand (he's stuck between a rock and a girl straddling his waist, he's going to need help standing.) he lifted himself up, holding Belle so that she wouldn't fall, then quickly let go and turned around, his back facing Belle.

Belle was curious as to what had come over her friend and wondered if she had done something to upset him, so she asked, "Did I do something wrong?" Gaara could hear the innocence in her voice and the concern.

Gaara had to try and control his breathing, because the Shukaku was having a field day with perverted images. The last one had Belle saying the exact same question, with the exact same voice, in a _different_ situation. "Class will be starting soon. As much as genjutsu class is tedious, it would be best that I go so I don't fall too far behind." Gaara finished. He was planning to go today or else his sister would be on his case with his..._marks_.

"Oh okay." Belle said happily, understanding completely. Then Belle decided to add on, "But isn't there still 15 mins till the end of the period?" Belle was a little confused, but Gaara was both glad there was still time before class to take care of his _problem _and cursing that he'd have to come up with why to head back early.

"Yeah, I thought I could ask Sakura what I've missed, before class started." Gaara stated.

"Okay. You better go then. I'll stay here a bit longer." Belle said happily and totally oblivious to Gaara's _problem_. Belle watched as Gaara picked up his gourd and started to leave, but stopped for a brief moment.

"Don't forget about the blood on the side of your head." Was the last thing Gaara said before he disappeared in a whirl of sand.

Belle smiled and walked over to her forgotten bag. She hadn't forgotten about the blood and the tender wound it came from. Opening her bag she takes out a small cloth bag closed tight with string. Untying the string, she holds out her hand as she pours a little amount of white powder. Taking the powder carefully, she places it on the slight wound on her head. The minute the powder touches it, Belle feels searing burning pain as the skin, nerves, and veins heal completely and scar less, within three seconds. Belle didn't flinch from the pain; she had used the powder many times to heal her injuries, so it didn't bother her. When Belle arrived back at the academy she quickly washed any remaining blood.

The rest of the day was a little uneventful, except for the fact that Gaara was making sure he was with her to and from classes. Some students asked about her hair, Belle just said that it had been cut. She received sceptical glances, but not much else. Also when some asked about her bruises, she just said she fell, which techniquely was true since when one of the girls pushed her to the ground she did fall. At the end of the day neither Gaara or Belle had found out that they were tenting with each other on the camping trip the following morning.

* * *

A/N: YES! The fourth chapter is up! And it didn't take as long as the third one lol. I would've had the camping started in this chapter but i got carried away with the who jealous fan girl scene. lol. Hope you like and review plz!


	5. Chapter 5 Camping Part 1

_**A/N: I'm glad you guys liked chapter 4 and even though I got carried away with the beating and the 'pervyness' lol. But in this chapter I will get to the camping trip. Oh and 2randomppl as enticing as it is to use your suggestion, from your review, I'm trying to keep her very innocent and with that comes modesty...at least until one chapter I have in mind, when Belle is introduced to alcohol and Sakura and Ino have a discussion about her wardrobe. Oh my bad I must be making you guys go crazy with 'What? Omg you gotta update sooner!' XD lmao.**_

* * *

"_**BEEP! BEEP! BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!**_" screeched Belle's alarm clock right beside her head, causing her wake up with a start and... "_**SMACK!**_" goes her hand on the alarm clock pressing the snooze button. Belle turns her head on her pillow to look at the red numbers on the clock, her eyes, and body begging her to go back to sleep. _'7:30 am...why am I getting up this early again? Oh yeah camping trip today...YES!'_ Belle's thoughts didn't go much further before she quickly jumped out of bed at the sound of her alarm clock beeping again. "I thought I put you on snooze? Huh? What's this?" Belle says out loud noticing a piece of white paper just sticking out from under the devil possessed alarm clock. While she turns off the alarm, she picks up the white piece of paper to see it's a note from her father.

_Dear B,_

_I set the snooze setting on your alarm clock to go off 30 sec after you press the button. It's not to be cruel, but when you __**decide**__ to use the alarm clock, I wanted to make sure you actually got out of bed. Love you always, and see you soon sweet heart!_

_Love your Deedo (another nickname for her father)_

"Love you too Dad." Belle says softly putting the note on the bedside table, beside her alarm clock, and then adds on with conviction, "But I am never going to use that alarm clock ever again... Unless I know I won't get up on time for something important."

Sighing Belle starts getting dressed for the day picking out a sky blue shirt with outlines of dark blue dragons looking as though they were climbing up her shirt and a pair of black shorts that reach just above her knees. Like Belle's other shirts, this one was modest; none of the necklines going further than an inch from her collar bone and none of her bottoms were higher than just past the knees.

Belle quickly grabs another baggy pair of shorts and a grey baggy t-shirt as her pyjamas for the camping trip. She also grabbed another almost exact same outfit, but the shirt was a rich red, with maroon dragons snarling fiercely at anyone who might talk to her. Belle grabbed her bathing suit along with a black top to cover her while swimming, amongst other essential under garments, some of her powdery healing substance, and packed everything in a light weight back pack. Throwing in a light blanket and traveling pillow.

Looking at the clock she sees that only half an hour had passed since she had woken up, Belle couldn't help but crack a smile knowing she wouldn't have to freak out this morning and forget something important. Speaking of which, she packed another set of kunai in her pack, just in case, and tying her weapons pouch around her waist, practically camouflaged with the colour of her shorts.

Belle heads over to her bathroom, off her bedroom, to get ready for the day. Looking in the mirror she grimaces at how short her hair was now, just reaching past her jaw line, her curls evident at the edges of her newly cut hair. Her parted bangs were still curled, but were a little longer than the rest of her hair. Sighing sadly, Belle quickly brushes through her **short **hair and runs her fingers through her hair a little. _'Guess it isn't so bad, looks pretty cute actually.'_ Was Belle's thought as she lets a smile grace her features. Belle packs away her toiletries in her back pack and quickly checks her body for those evident bruises from yesterday. Belle's smile widens as she sees that there was not a single bruise on her skin.

Finally heading downstairs Belle puts her pack on the couch in her living room and makes her way over into the kitchen for a good and unrushed breakfast. Going into her fridge and cupboards Belle retrieves the ingredients for her favourite breakfast. Pancakes!

* * *

Gaara was getting ready for the trip in his apartment, deciding whether or not he'll actually go swimming on this trip, but packs his trunks anyway, just in case. Leaving his, barely used, bedroom he couldn't stop thinking about Belle. _'She's so kind, and caring...what did I do to earn someone like her? She even endured a beating by pissed off girls because she refused to stop being my friend...' _that last thought got him angry. Gaara still couldn't believe that those _females_, if they could call themselves that, had attacked Belle. He even remembered that bitch Akiri who tried to gain his attention and even offered to be his friend. When he glared at her he could sense the fear radiating off of her. Yet she had the gall to get her and her friends to beat up Belle.

Snapping away from his angered thoughts, he finds himself just standing in the middle of his living room. Looking around quickly he sees that it is about 8:30am and he once again found himself thinking about the brunette that caught his attention and held on to it, once again. Gaara wondered if she would even wake up in time to get ready. He could already see her panicking and forgetting to pack something for the trip.

'_I better go make sure she's even awake yet.'_ Thought Gaara, as he left his apartment and started heading over towards the edge of Kahona, towards the gates. People in the streets kept their distance from him as he walked. It stung a little, but he couldn't necessarily blame them, he was one of the shinobi that had attacked the village during the chunnin exams a little while back. Still stung though.

He arrived pretty quickly at Belle's house, the guards at Kahona's gates just giving him curious glances, but said nothing and did nothing. Gaara remembered coming the day before, but didn't get the chance to go in since Belle tried to be as quick as possible, running ahead of him, into the house one second and out in the next five. He was still surprised at how fast she moved. As Gaara came closer to the house he finally notices its size. Though the front was small, the house its self extends far behind it, with some extra additions branching off from the sides.

It was practically a mansion, in size, but not so much the regular style expected of one. It was more on the line of a house that through the generations has been extended over and over again. The only evident feature was the two paintings of dragons on either side of the main entrance, looking out into the world with faces that beseeched any who came close to be wary. Gaara didn't pay too much to the detail or the warning gazes the dragons emitted from their sharp eyes. Ignoring the dragon eyes, he knocks on the door, awaiting a response.

It wasn't long before sea foam green eyes met bluish green ones. Belle stood in the doorway her eyes looking into Gaara's while taking a bite of a pancake. Regaining some composure from the surprise visit, Belle quickly chews and swallows the bite she took.

"Hey Gaara!" she says, smiling happily, then asks "What brings you here this fine morning?" Belle looks at him expectantly.

"To make sure you were even awake yet." Gaara answers. A blush streaks across her face, with her ever present smile still intact, though a little smaller. A slight mischievous gleam enters her eyes, as the blush dissipates.

"Do you have no faith in me?" Belle asks, laughing a little, while pretending to look hurt. Gaara knew she wasn't offended and just smirks.

"In your ability to wake up on time and not be late? Yes." Gaara replies, chuckling as the female before him acts even more hurt.

"Ooooh that hurt Gaara!" Belle just couldn't suppress her laughter any longer and just laughed. Gaara smiled slightly, seeing the happiness in her face, but quickly hid it.

She motioned for Gaara to enter her home while she tried her best to calm down and finish the pancake in her hand. Belle closes the door behind him as he enters her house.

Gaara takes a quick look around to see a large living area, with an open concept kitchen that was equally large. There was plenty of furniture to accommodate the large living space, but the largest had to be on the left side of the room, floor to ceiling, entire wall...book shelf, filled to the brim with many different books, ranging from magazines to hard covered novels. **(A/N: none of these books have explicit sexual content or in other words, similar to Come Come Paradise.)** Gaara couldn't help, but stare at the enormous book self he'd never seen so many books in one room, except the library, in his life.

Noticing how Gaara couldn't stop starring at the large collection of reading material Belle decided to see his reaction when she tells him that this was just the pleasure reading section.

"Yeah, I know it's large, but this is just for fun reading, I've read all of them at least once." Belle says eating her pancake glancing at the book shelf as Gaara looks at her with one raised nonexistent eye brow. Looking back at Gaara, Belle smiles as she continues, "There are some rooms here that are dedicated to certain scrolls, texts, and even a room full of maps, though the maps probably need some updating." Belle was enjoying his surprised expression, and then offered if he wanted any pancakes. Gaara accepted her offer and both ate in peaceful silence, relishing in each others' company, until Gaara stated that they better start heading over to the school.

As he waited for Belle to get her things, Gaara took one last look around the main living area, finally noticing small details. Just like the dragons painted at the front door, there were more of them inside. Some carved into the book shelf, some on hanging paintings, and others were small decorative stone figures varying in shape, detail, and posture and even Belle's shirt had dragons decorating the front.

It didn't take long for Belle to come back with her back pack smiling happily at her red headed companion, as they both exiting the house and as Belle closes the door. They walk in comfortable silence towards Kahona. As they passed the gates, Belle quickly said good morning to the guards flashing her sweet smile. The guards had looked at Belle and Gaara curiously, but they couldn't help but wave and smile back at Belle, they even smiled and nodded at Gaara as well. Gaara knew that they were being nice, but he wasn't too sure how to react, so he just nodded in acknowledgement to them.

As Belle and Gaara made their way towards the academy, a lot of the villagers would look at them. Belle met their glances with her innocent, happy, smile and most would smile back at her, then return to what they had been doing. Gaara ignored most of their stares, except the ones that some of the males were sending his female companion. Grimacing, Gaara could feel the Shukaku stir irritated as Gaara sends them glares and moves closer to Belle to enforce the message to stay away from her, 'cause kami knows that they'd try to take advantage of her innocence. All the males that gave her those glances quickly looked away not wanting to mess with the sand jinjuriki(sp?), settling the Shukaku's irritation towards the males. He noticed something else as well; all the people he had seen earlier this morning on the way to Belle's house didn't distance themselves as much.

"Gaara you okay?" asks Belle as she tilts her head to the side looking worriedly at her friend. Gaara's face softens a little from his grimace as he looks into her worried eyes. He cracks a small smirk and nods, to be rewarded with a soft smile on her kind face.

Also some of the other women saw and couldn't help but let out a little "awww" and giggle escape their forms. Belle and Gaara both looked confused at some of the women as they continued walking, but the women had quickly turned their heads away still slightly giggling.

Warily looking away from the giggling women, Belle turns her head to look over at Gaara asking, "Hey Gaara, what time is it?"

They both pause as they try to think of what time it could be, Belle still looking at her perplexed friend as she asked, "We should start running shouldn't we?" Gaara looks at his friend and gives her an affirmative nod, as they both start running off towards the academy.

Belle was taking it easy at Gaara's pace when she wondered how fast he could really run even with that gourd on his back. A mischievous smile crossed her face. Gaara had looked from the corner of his eye when he saw the smile. Belle turned her head towards Gaara, "Race you to the academy!" she yelled excitedly as she sped up rounding the next corner, weaving around pedestrians.

Gaara couldn't help but crack a small smirk as he let his sand come out of his gourd, surrounding him and transporting him to the academy's yard where they usually have gym. No one was outside and just as the last of the grains of sand left his gourd, Belle came barrelling around the corner running and looking over her shoulder. He couldn't believe at how fast she was able to reach the academy, barely looking tired. Still not looking in his direction Belle slows down and stops looking at the direction she just came from looking for something or someone. Gaara couldn't stop the mischievous glint that came to his eyes as he used his skill to quietly walk up behind her.

Belle stood waiting for Gaara to round the corner any minute. She had no doubt she was the first one there, she knew how fast she was and would love to run full tilt, but there was too many people she could've run into in the street, as well as attracting attention. Belle was so focused on the corner that led from the village streets into the academy's yard that she didn't notice Gaara's stare on her as he approached her form.

Before Belle could realize what happened she felt a rush of sand wrapping around her waist, not enough to hurt but to keep her from escaping, lifting her body off the ground and turning her around to see a smirking Gaara. Her eyes widen as she looks at him then back at the corner she was watching earlier then back again, trying to comprehend how he had beaten her. Gaara just stood there, slight amusement dancing in his eyes as his captive tries to organize her confused thoughts.

"How did you?" was all she could say as she kept looking from her friend to the corner, confusion written in her features.

"I can use my sand to teleport short distances." Gaara explained simply, as he watches Belle's eyes grow wide with childish amazement and blessing him with her wide smile. His sand gently places her on the ground, her eyes watching transfixed by the grains of sand releasing her body and flowing into his gourd.

Belle hadn't known it, but as the grains of sand disappeared she had walked closer to Gaara peering over his shoulder to watch them flow into the gourd on his back. She was so close that only two inches seemed to separate them and Gaara could feel her body radiating warmth and saw the childlike curiosity in her face as he starred at her.

As the last few grains of sand disappear she became aware of a warm breathe fanning over the exposed skin of her neck, sending a tingling warmth through her entire skin ending with a fluttery feeling in her abdomen. Turning her head to the source of the warm breathe she had to quickly pull her head back, because her face was so close to Gaara's own face. A blush made its way across her cheeks as she just couldn't look away from the sea foam green eyes, surrounded by black rings, that held the veil of no emotion, but Belle knew better, she had seen emotion in them. Maybe not emotions one would want to see every day, like anger, but she had seen his eyes when he laughed, during their tickle fight. They were young, childish and happy, something she had a feeling he wasn't used to.

Little did Belle know either, was that Gaara was having trouble looking away from her eyes as well. The bluish green eyes that had shown, innocence, caring, wisdom, laughter, and the one that clutched at his heart, sadness. Eyes that looked at him with promise, promise of kindness, caring, comfort, friendship, promise of not being afraid of him, and possibly a promise of something more. Something that made his heart seize when he thought she wouldn't show, didn't show, but when she did his heart felt light. When she sought him out his heart soared, even though his feelings conflicted. Some feelings for her he did not understand. For example, the need to protect her from harm, and not to mention other males with their _suggestive_ glances towards her.

Even though he known her for only a few days, he saw someone pure, untainted by hate and anger, by jealousy and greed, but still retained childlike innocence. The only word he could use to describe her was that she was an angel. Where he felt he was a demon, someone who was consumed by hate, by anger, and had nearly lost himself in insanity. His soul tainted by darkness, her soul was pure light, shining on him having him believe he is not entirely tainted by the dark seeds placed in his heart and soul. That maybe he was not hopelessly lost and that his own aspiration wasn't entirely impossible, for Belle was light, and she brought in a considerable amount of light into his soul.

Belle finally came out of her trance and looked away bashfully over Gaara's shoulder, her blush a little redder, with a small smile on her lips. She let herself lean forward to rest her forehead gently in the crook of his neck. Belle felt him go rigid for a second at the sudden contact, but relaxes and slowly places a hand on the small of her back to bring her closer to his body. Her arms wrapping around his body, the best she could with the gourd still on his back, lightly. Belle could hear his heart beat; the feel of each beat from the pulse in his neck through her for head, his natural dry scent of sandal wood assailing her nose, and the warmth that radiated from his body sending a wave of pleasant tingles through her skin. Belle wanted to stay that way forever, with the world beginning to fade till it was just her and Gaara, oblivious to the world.

He leans his head down slightly to rest his own head in the crook of her neck. Belle doesn't flinch or stiffen at his actions, and lets him continue. Gaara listens to her steady heart beat, and even breathing, closing his eyes as he inhales her natural scent. Her scent wasn't what he had expected. It was dry, warm and had the distinct scent of a desert rose. Gaara couldn't understand how if she was born in a place with plenty of water and mild weather, not mention days away from any desert rose would have such a scent. Though his thoughts didn't persist as her scent gave him, even the Shukaku, a sense of calm and serenity. Gaara didn't want the moment to end, as his other arm wraps around her, under her back pack.

The bell rang surprising the two out of their own little world, causing Belle to jump a little in surprise and Gaara to pull her body flush against his in an instinctual reflex to keep her safe. Neither of them made a move to push or pull away from one another as both their heart rates calmed down. Gaara was still a little tense looking around just in case there was any real danger as he firmly held Belle to his person. Belle knew she'd normally be running by now, her instinct telling her to take flight, but being in Gaara's arms she felt so safe and that as long as his arms were around her nothing can harm her, 'cause Gaara wouldn't allow it.

As they finally relaxed, they had to pull away from each other, reluctantly, as they heard the voices of the other students coming out side. Gai was the first one to see them.

"THERE ARE OUR MISSING YOUTHFUL STUDENTS!" Gai exclaimed happily as he quickly ran over to Belle and Gaara, leaving a cloud of dust in his wake. "Where were you two youthful teenagers this morning during attendance? We had marked you both absent." Gai says trying to be reprimanding, but failing miserably with the contained excitement in his voice for the trip.

"We were, uh late, and, uh decided to, um, wait for everyone else to...meet...us...out...side?" Belle replied sheepishly, trying to lie and failed miserably, even Naruto could tell she was lying and that is kind of saying something. Everyone basically did a sweat drop as in response to her obvious lie and at how bad she is. Belle shrunk back trying to be as small as possible and went to slightly hide behind Gaara.

Naruto decided to help out, "Hey don't sweat Belle not everyone's good at lying, like me. My lies don't work most of the time." Naruto laughs it off and bringing a smile to Belle's face taking away the insecurity.

"Guess you're right Naruto and besides, I don't think I could ever tell a full out lie." Belle smiles laughing, as all the other students get closer to her, Gaara, and Gai. Belle notices that they were paired up, with one of two in the pair having a tent roll. Gaara had noticed this as well and that there seemed to be no extra girls or boys for either of them to pair up with.

"Oh! There you two are!" Shizune says happily, carrying two tent rolls, as she approaches the two students. "So has anyone told either of you of the sleeping arrangements for the camping trip?"

Belle looks around at the other students and takes a chance asking, "Uh, we're all sleeping in pairs, two to a tent?"

"Did anyone tell either of you your tent arrangement?" Shizune asks laughing a little nervously. Belle shakes her head and Gaara doesn't say anything. Shizune then continues, "Well, we tried to pair up students of the same gender in the same tent. Plus there was also the situation of there being an uneven number of male and female students...so the leftover students we wanted to make sure got along with each other rather well despite gender difference." Shizune pauses, laughing a little nervously again, looking at Belle's innocent face and Gaara's eyes that had slightly widened a fraction understanding what she was getting at. Seeing Belle's face Shizune sighs as she gets straight to the point saying, "Belle, you and Gaara are sharing a tent."

"Oh, okay. Pass the tent roll Shizune sensei!" Belle says happily taking a tent roll from her.

* * *

They all had just walked by the gates of Kahona following the senseis as they made their way over to the camp site. Belle was hanging at the back of the group with Gaara. Everyone was in their own conversations with each other, while Belle and Gaara stayed in their comfortable silence.

"Hey who lives there?" Naruto exclaims as they passed an opening in the trees, which revealed Belle's house.

"I do Naruto." Belle piped up. Some of the others looking behind them to look at Belle, and Naruto's questioning look.

"Really? How come I've never seen it there before?" Naruto asks confused.

Belle smiles sheepishly as she answers, "My Dad put up an old genjutsu to hide the property from everyone, including Kahona nin. It was just a safety precaution. My Dad is very protective."

"How big is the property?"

"Um, it's pretty large; we haven't reached the boundary of it yet."

"Wow." Belle just smiles at Naruto's response.

The group keeps walking and after a few more hundred feet, Belle notices that they're reaching the edge of her property that was right beside the main path. The minute Belle crosses the boundary her senses literally go into overdrive. It was as if someone had opened up a door in her mind allowing her body to sense everything around her. Belle could hear more, see farther, and even her sense of smell was heightened. The biggest one though had to have been more of a sixth sense, to feel with your skin to sense different things taking up space without using your eyes or other senses. It was hard to explain. Belle could pinpoint a lot of animals within at least a hundred feet and know what each one was. She already knew she had this ability but she would've had to concentrate and not get distracted. It was how she sometimes knew if someone was watching her. It was never this strong though. Everything that happened had happened within a couple of seconds and was overloading her mind.

Just has she was about to take another step, she winced in pain and staggered. Belle would've fallen if Gaara hadn't been paying attention to her and reacted quick enough to grab her around the waist, preventing her from falling. Her legs felt weak and she couldn't stand as the pain continued until her brain could process all the information it was receiving and control what was going on with her senses. Belle knew Gaara was keeping her up and letting her lean on him for support.

The others hadn't noticed that Belle and Gaara stopped, so they continued walking. Gaara watched as they continued walking away, but he didn't call out to them, because he knew that they would catch up. Gaara's concern was the girl in his arms, with her eyes closed, one hand to her head and the other fisting in his shirt. He didn't know what to do or how to help and started thinking that maybe not calling out for help was such a good idea. Gaara could tell she was in pain as he watched helplessly for what seemed like hours, but as quickly as it occurred it left in mere minutes.

Belle opens hers eyes, her pupils dilating for a second before readjusting back to normal. Her eyes readjusted to find her face starring at Gaara's shirt and her hand fisted in it, but before she could react she had a feeling of fear and vulnerability wash over her. It wasn't towards Gaara because she just shrank closer to him trying to be as close as possible. She felt vulnerable and Gaara makes her feel safe as he senses her fear and tightens his arms around her for reassurance. The hairs were standing on the back of her neck and a feeling of dread tugged at her soul. She could feel where the tug is coming from and her body seems to recognise it, but in her mind she refuses to think about it. Only once when she pushed back all the emotions and thoughts' telling her that someone far away is monitoring her movements and knows she's past the boundary to the back of her mind. She could tell that whoever was watching her had a cruel purpose in store for her. It took a lot of will power for her to do so, especially when every fibre in her body told her not to ignore them. Belle knew what happened last time when she didn't listen to her instincts. It had dire consequences, but that time was different. Wasn't it?

"Belle?"

She looks up at the voice that called her name to see Gaara starring at her intently waiting for an answer to what happened. Belle wanted to tell him everything that just happened, but she didn't want him to think that she was insane.

Before she spoke, trying to cover her emotions, Gaara had already seen them. Her expressive eyes had betrayed her showing how vulnerable she was feeling and that she looked up at him with hope to keep her safe. Gaara already knew that she wouldn't tell him the entire truth and it slightly hurt that she didn't trust him enough, but then he never told her about Shukaku and his past. He was afraid of her rejection of him. That's when he finally had the thought '_Does she not tell me everything in fear of me rejecting her?_'

"I'm fine just a powerful headache." '_Gaara I want to tell you so bad, but would you dismiss me as insane and leave me? You're my first friend and I don't want that to change..._' Belle thought as she finished her half truth.

Gaara could sense the half truth. _'It must have felt like a serious headache, but there's more to it than that. I want her to trust me, I want her to know she can tell me anything...where did this all come from? I'm pretty sure any good friend would want to know, but...'_ Gaara wasn't sure if he was trying to be a good friend or that her trust in him went beyond that. He wanted to know what happened and why he could sense fear and vulnerability.

"Belle," he spoke sternly and as softly as he could, "tell me what happened and what is bothering you." Gaara knew he might be pushing it, but he felt that he needed to know, especially if she feels threatened by something.

Belle looked Gaara in the eyes and knew that she should take a chance, and that she felt deep inside that he would believe her, but just to make sure...

"Gaara if I tell you, you promise not to think I'm insane?" Belle asked letting herself be subjugated to his judgement of her explanation.

'_That's why she didn't tell me, because she thought I wouldn't believe her? Was she worried I would abandon her because I might think she's insane?' _Gaara couldn't help a little mental chuckle. '_It would take a lot more for me to leave her...'_ Gaara knew his thoughts might be headed somewhere dangerous, but he was glad she trusted him enough that she would tell him what was wrong. Gaara nods telling her that he promises. He watches as she takes a breath before speaking.

Gaara nods as she attempted to explain how her senses seemed to heighten and even about her sixth sense. By now they were both walking along the path slowly catching up with the group. Luckily Shizune had placed a map to the campsite with the tent roll in case anyone got lost. '_Can't believe she thought I would think she was insane. Some ninja were born with a heightened sense, senses or a sixth sense. Since I have the Shukaku my sense of smell is better and I can sense emotions,_' his train of thought pauses then continues with, '_it is odd though that they would all heighten at the same time. It must have something to do with the boundary of her property._' He didn't pry further, but had told Belle how he didn't think she was insane. Now of course she had to tell why she had felt threatened.

They took a turn around the bend as Belle got ready to tell him what had bothered her. She could still feel it. The feeling of knowing that someone has their sights trained on her and could feel the evil behind it in waves. It felt as though the person was sending out pulses, that only she could feel, trying to pinpoint her.

"I feel like someone is watching me. I can feel the corruption behind it. It also feels like the person is sending out wave impulses to locate me. I just feel vulnerable and this feeling of fear is familiar to someone I knew, but it's impossible..." she pauses as she tries to push back unwanted memories of her past.

Gaara was doing everything in his will power to contain his slowly bubbling fury as well as the Shukaku's under control. He was angry at himself because he can't really do anything to ease her fear, other than to stick close by to her at all times, and angry that someone was planning to do something to her. Belle's words finally penetrated his and the Shukaku's anger when she said the fear was familiar to someone she knew.

"Who's it familiar to." Gaara asked looking at his female companion as she snapped out of her trance and looked at him. Belle looked away as her lips moved, but was too quite to hear. "Belle, please." Using the word please is relatively unknown to him, but his sister explained it to him that people use it as a way of asking nicely for something. Doesn't mean you'll get it but it was nicer than threatening someone's life.

Belle looked up at him. She really didn't want to think about _him_, but she knew that Gaara just wanted to help and he did use please. She takes a deep breath and a moment to find her voice she finally says, "My Uncle. He was my Dad's twin brother and an S Ranked criminal. I didn't know it at the time, but part of me had told me to be afraid of him. I didn't listen..." Belle paused thinking a little before continuing, "He's dead now anyways. There's no conceivable way of it being him." She didn't want to talk about it anymore. The memory kept wanting to surface, but Belle had practised for too many years to let it take hold of her just because she thought of _him._ It might not grip her as strongly now from just the thought of _him_, but she wasn't taking chances.

Gaara could see she didn't wish to talk about it any further, but whatever happened between her and her Uncle was painful. He could see the betrayal in her eyes and the pain of the memories she tried to suppress. Gaara understood the feeling of betrayal and wanted to comfort her so he took his arms and wrapped them around her, the side of her face pressed to his chest. This movement of course had stopped their walking.

Belle was surprised at the sudden hug but accepted it all the same. She liked being in his arms, they made her feel warm and safe. This time she could feel his lips against the top of her head. She could feel them move through her hair as he says softly, "We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to." Belle appreciated the gesture and his words.

Burying her face in his chest she replies in a gentle voice, "Thanks Gaara."

* * *

As Belle and Gaara approached the site they saw most of the students had their tents set up and was talking amongst themselves. Belle had told Gaara that she was going to try and forget all the negatives so that she could have some fun. Gaara understood that she didn't want to think about it, but that didn't mean he was going to forget or let her go off on her own. As soon as they walked within hearing range of everyone, Belle could only put down the tent as Ino and Sakura had her by her arms escorting her away from Gaara with Hinata and Tenten right behind them, both shaking their heads pitying Belle of what she was about to go through.

Gaara wasn't too concerned about those females hurting her. He could tell that they meant no ill intent towards her he also had a feeling he was going to have to let Belle make other friends as well...just not too many male friends. The females, as long as they weren't his fan girls, could be her friends, but hurt Belle and they go on the list of people to keep away from her. The list was already getting long as it is, if you go by specific names.

Sighing Gaara picks up the tent and finds a suitable spot between the girls' side of the fire and boys' side. He knew it wasn't wise to isolate the tent from the others since they were supposed to share a tent together. He knew it wasn't necessary since he was just going to stay outside because he didn't sleep anyway.

As Gaara was setting up the tent Naruto and some of the other boys decided to talk to him about what made Gaara and Belle fall behind while they were getting to the site and what happened. Gaara had heard them coming so he wasn't surprised when Naruto started talking.

"Hey Gaara! What took you and Belle so long to get here?" Naruto asked with his goofy grin. Gaara looked up from the tent to give a quick side glance to Naruto.

"Headache." Gaara stated simply turning back to the tent.

"You?" Naruto asked confused. Gaara looks at him shaking his head. "So Belle got a head ache?"

Gaara nods as he continues working on the tent.

"Well, then why is her scent on your clothes?" Kiba accuses with Akamaru barking in agreement. This causes the rest of the boys to stare at Gaara waiting for an answer.

Gaara was slightly caught off guard. He had a feeling Kiba was insinuating something with her scent on his clothes, but simply gave the truth of how her scent was on him. "Her head ache was really strong. She was feeling weak and couldn't stand. I held her up." Gaara paused as he stared at Kiba then asked, "What did you _think_ happened?" Gaara mentally chuckled as Kiba's cheeks went pink and looked away, knowing he's been caught.

"Gaara do you like the youthful Belle-chan?" Lee asks, as Gaara continues working on the tent. Gaara didn't respond, but kept working while he thought. '_Do I like her? Of course I do, she's my friend, but...is my fondness of her beyond that?_' Gaara keeps silently thinking about his feelings for Belle as Kiba forgets his embarrassment and replies to Lee's question,

"Well why not? She's hot." Kiba was just stating what he saw as a fact; of course Gaara was getting slightly irritated with all the questioning, but mostly from Kiba's last comment. When Shino hit Kiba upside the head, it lessened some of the irritation.

"Really? I found her just cute, like in a little sister kind of way. Not in yours or Saskue's way." Naruto said offhandedly. Kiba had started picking a fight with Shino for hitting him, so didn't really hear Naruto's comment, but Saskue did.

"Dope, what do you mean?" Saskue asked glaring at Naruto.

"Well when her shirt went see through you were the one looking at her chest you pervert." Naruto retaliated. Gaara anger had risen at the memory from a couple of days ago, along with the Shukaku's anger. Naruto and Saskue were too busy arguing, and Kiba was busy trying to hit Shino to notice the angry tension in Gaara rise. The other boys noticed and silently all agreed that they would not try to be hormonal teenage boys around Belle, because none of them really wanted to get on his bad side.

Choji decided to change the topic and decided to ask out loud, "What do you think the girls are up to?"

* * *

Sakura and Ino had dragged Belle a fair distance away from the others as not to be over heard, setting her butt on the ground. Belle looked up at the four girls inquisitively.

"Okay Belle spill. What happened between you and Gaara?" Ino was the first to inquire. Belle looked at Ino confused as to what she wanted to find out.

"Nothing. I got a bad headache and he stayed behind with me till it was over." Belle said looking nervously between Ino and Sakura as they stood looming over her with unconvinced expressions. Hinata and Tenten just take a seat to watch everything unfold.

"Really? Are you sure?" Sakura asked leaning forward looking Belle in the eyes and looking intimidating. Just that look made start questioning whether something happened between her and Gaara. _'Was there something going on between me and Gaara I didn't think so, but...'_ she thought about how he made her feel safe, so when, earlier, she felt vulnerable and afraid she moved closer to him. '_That was just a reaction to my fear...'_ then she thought of when she left herself bare for him to judge, when she told him of what actually happened he believed her words though they still confused her herself. '_He was being a good friend...'_ Belle trusted Gaara, he was her friend and... '_He held me.'_ She paused in her thought then continues, '_The way he hugged me...His lips moving against my hair...'_ Belle realized how close they were in that one moment, both physically and figuratively.

Something did happen. Belle's trust in him grew. She had revealed a small dark corner, not the entire corner, of her past and he understood. Belle couldn't help the swelling of the warmth in her heart when she thought of all the moments they've already had with each other. As Belle's thoughts continued to circle around him, she dropped her gazed from Sakura looking wistfully at her lap. _'After knowing him for so little time, how is it he can affect me so?'_ Belle was still unsure of how he made her feel other than someone to trust and feel safe with. There was something else behind those feelings that encompass them within that one feeling. She didn't know what it was.

"Oh my gosh! Something really did happen!" Sakura exclaimed, causing Belle to wake up from her trance. Belle looked up a bright blush crossing her cheeks as she looks at the girls.

"Did he do something?" Ino interjected before she could answer.

"Wha-"

"Did he touch you inappropriately?" Ino interrupted with a very serious voice. Tenten, Sakura and Hinata basically did a sweat drop at this. Belle just looked shocked at Ino trying to understand what she meant.

"Ino, what are you talking about?" All the girls saw innocence in Belle's eyes. Ino and Sakura's eyes started twitching in disbelief.

"Basically, Ino's asking if he touched your breasts or ass." Tenten said seeing as how the situation called for bluntness. Belle's eyes widen in understanding. Ino had meant inappropriate _places_ on her body.

"No! Not at all!" Belle quickly responds shaking her head fiercely. "Gaara wouldn't do that!" Belle says defensively. She knew he wouldn't do something like that. Her entire fibre of her being was telling her he wouldn't do that. All the girls were watching her eyes as she spoke in his defence and they knew the emotion within the eyes.

"Belle, d-do you l-like him?" Hinata piped up looking kindly at her.

"Well he is my friend. So yeah I like him." Belle responded smiling. The other three girls just sighed knowing that Belle didn't know what Hinata had meant.

"No. Do you _like him,_ like him, as in do you think you love him?" Sakura states looking down at the girl at her feet. Belle looks shocked. She had never really thought of it before, '_Do I love him?'_ Before she could even think of an answer Ino spoke,

"Why would she?" Belle turns her eyes to Ino as she continues to talk, "He's dangerous, not to mention psychotic. Remember what happened during the exams?" Belle saw an involuntary shiver run through the girls.

"But he did save Lee during their mission trying to retrieve Saskue." Sakura added in. Ino still looked unconvinced.

"Still. He's so cold. He doesn't show anyone who he is enough to have anyone even fall in love with him. All he's got going is a bad boy routine going on." Ino countered with.

"Says one of the fan girls of the _bad boy of Kahona_ Saskue Uchiha." Tenten says through a smirk. This sends Ino, Sakura and Tenten in an argument leading far away from the original topic. Neither them see Belle quietly leave, but Hinata. '_Belle...'_ Hinata follows her.

Hinata catches up to her and walks to her sluggish pace. Belle's face was drawn, sad, a face that Hinata knew. She was hurting. "B-belle what's w-wrong?" Hinata asks kindly, almost knowing what was bothering her. Belle cared about Gaara and Hinata could see it in her eyes.

"I wish they wouldn't be so cruel." Belle whispered, Hinata barely being able to hear it.

"You love h-him don't y-you?" Hinata smiled seeing a blush run across her face.

Belle looked straight at Hinata, smiling weakly, "I don't know."

* * *

**A/N: Okay I haven't finished the trip yet but at least we're closer! I'll get to the end of it in the next chapter and sorry for taking so long! I got side tracked at some of the parts with Belle and Gaara. Anyways I was feeling pressured to finish it in this one chapter but then I remembered I'm the one writing it and besides the last line is perfect for the end of a chapter! So like before thanx for your reviews and I'd love more from you guys! Oh and I've been busy with school, summatives, and exams are coming up...ack! Also I get writer's block on how to progress while writing, not to mention distracted. Like now with this author's note! Lol. Until next time!**


	6. Chapter 6 Camping Part 2

_**A/N: Okay I'll try and make this the last part of the camping trip. Thanks for all of your guys reviews and I'll try to update sooner, but it gets tough when you run into those periods where you know what the plot is but can't seem to sit down and write it. Then of course you get sidetracked with something else in the story.*Sigh* life can be so demanding. Lol.**_

The boys had finally left Gaara alone, after Kakashi had to break up the fighting between Shino and Kiba as well as Naruto and Saskue. This gave him time to finish the tent, but he was also wondering if Belle was doing okay with the girls she was with. Sure they weren't crazed fan girls, but they weren't exactly _comfortable_ around him either. _'Would they turn her against me?'_ Gaara didn't want that to happen, it pained his heart as he thought of it, so he was about to go find her, just to check up on her, when she came into sight with Hinata talking happily. He was about to head over when Gai blew a whistle to summon the students to gather around him.

"Okay my youthful students! Since all of the tents are set up you may all get changed into some youthful swim wear and once all of you youths are ready we'll head over to a large pond nearby!" Gai said blinding most of the students momentarily with his infamous smile. This included Belle as she blinked and rubbed her eyes till she could see clearly again. _'What does Gai sensei do to his teeth to get them so shiny? Did he accidentally get a mouthful of bleach?'_ Belle knew that it was unlikely but the thought was still pretty funny. When she could finally see again she looked for her favourite red head because he was the only one who knew where the tent was set up.

Seeing the flash of red hair coming towards her, she decided to meet him half way, but was stopped as Sakura and Ino had captured her arms again, dragging her off towards their tent. Looking over her shoulder she sees Gaara staring after her, motionless like a statue, before turning and heading towards the area that presumably has their tent, which Belle still knew nothing of its whereabouts. She didn't care so much about the tent as she did about Gaara and wanting to go to him. She had the sneaking suspicion that he feels left behind, making her own heart seize and constrict.

If only she knew how right she was. Gaara watched as the two girls take Belle away, most likely to change in their tent, and the feeling of her abandoning him for more _outgoing _friends. His heart pounds hard against his chest as his heart tightens at the thought. He does see her looking sadly at him with eyes that bared her emotion and her very soul to whom ever looked within their depths. Gaara saw the emotions swirl in them finding caring, longing and friendship. She cared for him and wanted to be with him, her friend. This stopped the constriction of his heart but not the furious pounding of it inside him. It didn't take long for him to have to turn and walk away. He felt that for what he did in the past he was undeserving of those emotions towards him.

Gaara went towards their tent, unable to stop thinking about her, and finally decides it couldn't hurt to wear swim trunks in case he does go swimming or Naruto decides to get him wet. The second possibility was more likely to occur than the first. It didn't take long for Gaara to slip on a pair of black swim trunks, exiting the tent and leaving his gourd inside so the sand doesn't get wet.

Sakura had told Belle that she could change in their tent. Belle was about to argue till they starred her down making her think twice about disagreeing with them. She knew they were only trying to look out for her since she was already sharing a tent with Gaara, but really? Did they have to keep dragging her everywhere? Sighing Belle pulled off her bag, since she didn't have a chance to set it down yet since her and Gaara arrived, pulling out her bathing suit and black top. Side glancing at Sakura and Ino to make sure they weren't looking; Belle quickly undressed and pulled her dark purple one piece bathing suit on and her black cover up shirt. The cover shirt was a breathable fabric with the collar part around her neck as well as short sleeves hugging her upper form nicely.

Looking back over at Sakura and Ino, Belle finds them both dressed in bikinis. "Can I go now?" Belle asks watching as they turn around and wait till they stop scrutinizing her swim wear.

"Why are you wearing a t-shirt?" Sakura asks looking her over.

"Modesty?" Belle replies hoping they'll accept her answer and let her go. She was still worried about Gaara. They both just starred at her before Ino answered.

"Belle when we get home we're taking you shopping."

"Exactly! You have a nice body; why not show it off a little more?" Sakura chimes in smiling. Belle looks at them worriedly. She doesn't feel she needs to show off her body, not to mention she doesn't _want_ to show it off.

"Um...cause I don't want to?" Belle replies not enjoying where this conversation is heading.

Ino scrunches her face before saying, "Well why not go shopping with us and we'll just help you be a little less modest. If we start pushing you too far, just tell us where you draw the line. Okay?" Belle looks at them with uncertainty in her eyes, but finds it reasonable enough. Also she can tell they're not about to give up. So Belle nods conceding. Within five seconds there was squealing from the two as they crushed her in a group hug. Belle couldn't help but smile weakly, they may be pushy but she could tell they're nice people.

"I bet Gaara wouldn't mind seeing a little less _modesty_ in choice of clothing you wore." Sakura adds releasing her hug and wiggling her eyebrows at Belle, sending the poor teen into a bunch of flustered attempts at saying her and Gaara were just friends, her face turning beet red.

Ino and Sakura's intelligent reply was, "Bullshit."

Just as the three girls exited the tent, two of which are still excited at a prospected shopping/makeover trip for Belle, they notice Gai was saying something getting all worked up while heading off in a random direction, with his mini me Lee following close behind with matching swim trunks. Belle looks to Kakashi and Kurenai seeing them sigh as Shizune tells everyone just to follow Gai, seeing as how he was leading the way. The three girls follow, while being met up by Hinata and Tenten in the process. All of them, but Belle and Hinata, start talking while Hinata listens intently and Belle barely paying attention, just takes in her surroundings and possibly looking for a particular red head as well. She finds him a little further in front and notices that he's paying attention to Naruto, which isn't that hard because of his animated way of talking. Belle decides to look somewhere else but does a double take when she realizes, like all the other boys, Gaara had no shirt on.

Belle tries to look away, but kept stealing glances at his shirtless back. His frame was slight with definition of some of his muscles on his shoulder and back, no doubt from caring that gourd full of sand around, wrapped under slightly tanned and firm skin. She could feel her temperature rise slightly in her body, especially in her cheeks; her hand itched to touch him. She couldn't help but lick her lips as the feeling of being flustered from what was going on with her body over came her and using a lot of her self control turns her head away to look at something else. The blush remained a permanent fixture on her face. The same as the feeling of yearning in her body not disappearing any time soon. Unfortunately she did miss the slight flex in Gaara's back muscles as he switches his towel from one hand to the other.

What Belle didn't know was that Gaara had seen her starring at him while he turned his head towards Naruto taking side glances at her. She obviously didn't notice his stare. He thought she might be checking him out so he switches his towel to his other hand while flexing his back a little to see her reaction. To his disappointment she had already looked away, looking flushed and slightly flustered, while looking at other things then paying attention to the females talking, after wrapping a towel around her waist. To which he was grateful for because it took attention from the other males off of her and her legs. Gaara still wasn't able to tell if Belle was really checking him out or past him to some of the other males who seemed to be parading around about their physique to show off. Gaara wasn't sure but he kind of wished she was.

Most of Belle's looking around was to get the feeling of some of the other boys' eyes on her legs to the back of her mind, but it's a little hard when it's creeping her out so much. She had a sneaking suspicion that that is the reason why the girls had wrapped their towels around their waists instead of carrying them like she had. Belle quickly took her towel and wrapped it around her waist, feeling instant relief as the feeling of creepiness disappears. That was the point when she decided to listen in on what the other girls were saying.

She barely picked up what the conversation was about when Gai yelled out, "We're HERE my youthful students! Remember to swim with a buddy or stay in sight of one of us senseis! That's it! Have FUN!" he gives his infamous thumbs up and blaring smile which Belle did not fall victim to this time by looking to his side. Unfortunately she becomes victim to Lee's blaring smile while he imitated Gai. _'This is ridiculous! I can't keep falling prey to these blaringly bright smiles! I think over exposure will lead to me going blind!'_ was her thought as she rubs hers eyes again hearing the girls faint giggling at her expense. Belle doesn't take personal offense to it knowing full well she'd be giggling at someone who just got dazed by one of Gai's or Lee's for that matters smile.

Unwrapping the towel and putting it down at a nearby tree, Belle walks up to the edge of what seemed to be a large pond filled with clear water and some seaweed growing near the bottom at one end of the pond. Belle notices that it has no shallow end just a very, _very, __**very**_ steep decline to the bottom, almost parallel to the water's flat surface. Looking around she notices that the other students had noticed as well and sticking their toes in the water testing the temperature. Belle watched Naruto test the water, as well, and see's a shiver run through his body. The water was cold. '_Perfect'_ Belle thought as she hatched a little plan involving Naruto.

Looking up Belle see's that one of the trees has its branches over hanging the pond were Naruto was just so conveniently placed at the present moment in time. A playful glint enters Belle's eyes as she carefully slips away from the other students and up said tree.

Of course Gaara had seen, while he stole glances to make sure he knew where she was (that was the explanation he was using in his head to explain his actions! Lol). The glint in her eyes towards Naruto told Gaara she was up to something mischievous and Naruto was her target. Seeing her silently slink into the tree over hanging the water alerted to Gaara at what she had planned. Taking some '_precautionary_' measures Gaara moves away from Naruto and the water's edge towards the large tree Belle disappeared into sitting down to face the others. Some of the students looked at him questioningly but dismissed him as they went back to the water debating whether to go in or not. Next thing they knew something or _someone_ fell from one of the overhang branches of the tree into the water right in front of Naruto, soaking him and some of the others beside him, leaving the rest a little wet.

Belle was high in the tree watching her target as she see's Gaara leave his side, knowing full well that he most likely figured out what she was up to. Smiling impishly Belle carefully positioned herself over the water making sure to make no noise and not to let a single leaf fall to give away her position over Naruto. Once satisfied Belle let herself fall off the branch and curls into a ball submerging seconds later into the cold waters. Uncurling and opening her eyes, she looked up through the water's surface seeing that she got Naruto and some other people. She decides it best to swim further away from shore and closer to the center of the pond. Belle knows full well they can see her since the water is so clear and within seconds of swimming out to the center she hears the recognisable entrance of someone else jumping into the water. Still underwater and looking behind her she sees Naruto swimming towards her the fastest he could using a weird frog-like version of a breast stroke. Staying calm she smiles at Naruto and takes off in the water her body using powerful and experienced kicks and strokes, cutting through the water as if it was second nature, leaving Naruto in her metaphoric bubbles.

Naruto tries to catch up to her but his lungs burn for air and her resurfaces to get some air and try to locate his swift friend. He scans the water ignoring the movement of the others jumping into the water. What Naruto didn't know was that Belle had seen him surface and quietly surfaced behind him, taking a silent breathe before submerging once again preparing for a quick getaway for her next trick on Naruto. Belle quickly grabs his ankles and pulls him underwater then swiftly swims away to shore climbing out and up a nearby tree. Perched on a branch she watches Naruto spin around frantically trying to find her. She couldn't help but laugh at him as along with the other students swimming happily in the water.

Belle could feel the sun on the back of her legs, seeing as how she seems to have found a hole in the canopy of the trees where the sun could reach her. The sun began to warm her legs and slowly her back through her wet cover up t-shirt. Looking around quickly for observers, she pulls off her t-shirt letting her back to be exposed to the luscious sunlight, as well as a distinct mark. The effect was immediate as the warmth seeped past her skin and into her muscles relaxing her tight back muscles and causing her to feel sleepy. Resting her head on her arm she lets the drowsiness take over as she falls into a light sleep, pinning her shirt between her arm and the limb of the tree.

Though she slept lightly the one of the pulsating waves from earlier not only reached her but reconnected a once disconnected bond. An all too familiar voice rang through her head from the newly reconnected bond, having her eyes snap open with a start causing her to almost fall off the branch. Clutching the branch for dear life she tries to push away the voice, her body shaking in fear, hot tears streaming down her face.

'_Hello princess. Glad to know you're strong and well. Too bad this link is so weak, otherwise we would be able to talk some more.'_

'_It's not possible! You can't be! I was there! I saw you...' _Belle shouted in her mind shutting her eyes tightly, more tears falling down her face. The voice chuckles darkly that sends chills through her shaking body.

'_Did you honestly think I would go into a possibly deadly mission unprepared? I'm not naive enough to underestimate your mother's skill. I knew that if I went after something precious to her she would find a way to kill me, so I decided to take her with me at least.'_ Confusion swelled in her mind at his words feeling dread seeping into her body.

Tentatively she asked, '_If you died how are you...?' _Belle cringed as the voice gave a loud boisterous laugh.

'_Obviously you disregard how intelligent I am and my studies into our physical abilities of healing and even regeneration. I'd love to continue this reunion princess but I'm still a little weak. Don't worry though I will see you soon enough, especially now that your mother isn't here to protect you.'_ With that the voice was gone but Belle could still feel the connection through the bond.

Her body was still shaking and her grip on the tree relentless. Taking deep shuttering breathes she let go of the tree and puts her shirt on but looking at her finger tips she sees blood flowing them, through tear stained eyes she looks at the tree limb beneath her to see her grip had left deep holes in the wood. Looking back at her fingers she sighs wondering how she was going to get back to the camp site without being sighted. Last thing she needed was to be seen so distressed and bleeding from her fingers.

Blanking her mind, for the most part, and calming her heart beat she relaxes every muscle in her body then takes off. Her body moving in gentle motions totally relaxed and at ease as if she was alone and dancing, barely touching the limbs of the trees as she makes her way back to the camp site, not a single leaf falls. Two words enter her mind to describe her light fluid movements _'Ghost ninja...'_ words from a book flash through her mind as she jumps down from the trees towards her tent. Not knowing that a certain red head was trailing behind her having sensed her distress and smelling _her_ blood from the tree she was in.

'_The Siren clan was infamous for a vicious rumour spread about them but what makes them unique is their bloodline ability and naturally fluid movements that makes them both silent and naturally seductive. Not to mention that because of their bloodline they are unable to tell a lie. Yet excel in telling half truths. One of the many names they were known by was The Ghost Ninja of the Leaf. Movements so graceful they seem to float...' _

The words fade away as her healing powder stings the tips of her fingers with searing pain, but healed completely again in three seconds of making contact with the wounds leaving no scars behind. Placing the healing powder pouch back in her bag and exiting the tent to come face to face with Gaara with a raised eye brow. Belle already knew his stare well enough to know that he wants answers to what's going on.

Smiling weakly to him and trying to hide her hands behind her back. He saw her trying to hide her hands, furrowing his eyebrows he quickly closes the space between him. Gaara snakes an arm around her waist to keep her still while his other hand reaches behind her to grab her wrist, bringing it close to his face. His hand moves from her wrist to her hand gripping it firmly, but not too hard, showing him her palm and the blood still on her fingertips. His eyes flittered back to her face with her eyes looking into his. He could see the guilt of not telling him what's happened, along with the receding redness in her eyes showing him she has been crying.

Gaara focused only on her face for the longest time, locking eyes with hers to show her he wanted her to tell him what happened while she was in the tree. Belle looks into his eyes, seeing past the mask he always seemed to keep up, finding his worry and concern for her.

"What happened." It wasn't a question but a demand to know what ailed his friend. Neither of them noticing how close Gaara had her pressed against him or each other's racing hearts at the closeness of the other for that matter.

"Please do enlighten me of what _happened_ as well." Both teens spin their heads in the direction of the voice to see Kakashi leaning against a tree, his arms crossed against his chest and his eye trained on them. Gaara released his hold on Belle, as she took a step back, her face flushed with embarrassment and eyes filled with concern.

"I accidentally hurt myself; I kind of clung to a tree branch too hard." Belle finally answered looking bashfully at Kakashi. Gaara's eyes looked at her knowing it was only a half truth and looking back at Kakashi he knew that as well.

"Belle. You are a terrible liar but excellent at giving half truths and moving around what really has been happening. What has you so troubled that would cause you to shed tears out of pure fear, petrifying you to the point of immobility?" Kakashi was straight to the point. Gaara wasn't the only one that had seen her departure.

Belle looks at Kakashi trying to hold a straight face but couldn't control the emotion whirling within her open eyes. Looking away from both of them, smiling weakly, her bangs covering her eyes, she finally replies, "I won't tell you." Pausing she looks up at Gaara's face, "Not that I don't trust you...but out of fear for yours" turns her head to Kakashi, "...and everyone else's lives that I can't tell either of you. I don't want anyone else to lose their lives feeling they need to protect me. Even my own father would have difficulty protecting me..." her eyes turn towards the ground as fresh tears run down her cheeks, "...it's my own fault for being weak hearted that I lost someone close to me. It's my fault my mother's dead. I killed her." Before she could say anymore her voice became muffled by a bare strong chest. Looking up through her lashes she sees Gaara starring at her with resolve in his eyes.

"You know I'm a jinjuriki(sp?) and can keep you safe?" Gaara didn't care if she knew anymore. Belle knew she was in danger but refused to tell him or Kakashi. What danger was so great that she believed that even _he_ can't keep her safe? Gaara was confused about his feelings towards her, but one thing in his mind was certain she was precious to him and that he had to make sure nothing happened to her. Words of a silly blonde boy telling him how he was so strong because he had someone to protect. Now Gaara had someone to protect as well.

"I don't think she doubts your strength as a ninja Gaara, but Belle...Why do you believe you killed your mother?" Kakashi asked looking at the two teens as Gaara kept her in his arms with a look he'd seen on Naruto when he's made up his mind to protect someone. _'Naruto changed Gaara dramatically, but Belle has Naruto beat. She's given Gaara a companion that looks and see's him. Not a fellow jinjuriki(sp?), not a monster, but a friend that lets him drop his mask to reveal his locked away emotions and has changed him even more, if only just for her eyes to see...'_ Kakashi though still wondered what Gaara considered her as.

It hadn't taken Belle long to answer his question, "Because I was born." her was filled with sadness and regret. Gaara held her tighter knowing how it feels to blame yourself for your own mother's death. Belle looked at Kakashi and he saw that though she was fifteen her eyes were ancient, filled with experience and saddened wisdom. Kakashi's heart clenched. He had seen those eyes before. Kakashi couldn't speak as his mouth went dry. Then Belle answers Gaara's question, "I already knew you were a jinjuriki(sp?) and that in the past you killed people, along with innocents, also that you attacked the village not long ago. My father made it his mission to make sure that I knew the basics of my fellow students and my senseis' backgrounds."

Gaara's entire body stiffened. _'She knew? She knew...why does she not fear me then? Why does she feel safe with me? Why...'_ questions kept whirling around in his head. Gaara looked down to find her starring at him with gentle eyes and a small smile. Yet he was still confused, if she knew he was a jinjuriki(sp?) then why did she doubt his strength and power in his sand? Almost as if knowing his thoughts Belle answered, "Like Kakashi said I don't doubt your strength in looking out for me. I know you're a strong and deadly shinobi, but this threat to me is the equivalent to a jinjuriki's power and strength. It's not doubt that compels me to tell you not to protect me, but worry and fear for your lives." Belle clutched Gaara tightly burying her face in his bare chest, mumbling, "I don't want anything to happen to you Gaara you're my first friend."

Kakashi decided to ask something that he had been thinking for a while, "You're part of the Siren clan aren't you?" Belle lets go of Gaara to look directly at Kakashi's face. His face was serious and she knew she couldn't give half truths.

"Yes."

"You're also part of the Aria clan." It was a statement that she also couldn't deny. It was her last name after all.

"Yes."

"I see. Your mother was Lizabeth Siren and your father Robby Aria."

Belle smiles softly and laughs lightly, "Yes. I look a lot like my mother don't I, except for the hair and eyes of course."

"No your eyes are that of a Siren. Filled with saddened wisdom and experience passed through the Siren bloodline." Kakashi starred at her. Belle was a peculiar girl, she had innocence of a small child radiating off her in waves, but at that moment she had the eyes of someone ancient far beyond their years. Her smile softened those eyes making them just look sad and tired.

Belle started heading back to where the others are. "Come on it's just a beautiful day let's not waste it." Belle says lightly looking back at them smiling. Gaara's heart was clenching. She wasn't telling him or Kakashi what danger she was in, and told them not to protect her. He tries to grab her to make her tell him what the danger is to her, but she had already took off running towards the others, leaving him confused.

"She's in danger, but how can she take it so lightly?" Gaara couldn't help but say aloud to himself.

"Gaara what is she to you?" Gaara turns to look at Kakashi eyeing him, before turning to look at the direction Belle left.

"I don't know, but she's my friend and I refuse to let her be harmed." Gaara's decision was absolute and despite his friend's words he was going to protect her.

"I see." Kakashi wasn't shocked by Gaara's words. Belle on the other hand was a whole other matter. _'She must be trying to hide her fear or...she's already accepted her fate against this danger threatening her...'_ Kakashi watches as Gaara makes his way to the others as well. "Gaara the only cruel person I knew that wasn't a jinjuriki(sp?), but with the equivalence of one was her uncle. He's been dead for close to ten years. He went after Belle when she was little. Her mother tried protecting her by killing him before the wounds he inflicted upon her killed her as well." Kakashi figured her needed to hear this.

"How would you know this?"

"I was part of the responding team that had gone to investigate. All that we found was blood, wounded trees, two very dead bodies and a little girl holding the head of one of the bodies in her lap crying. It was her mother as well as one of my dearest friends..."

Gaara looked at Kakashi. Belle had watched helplessly as her mother fought and died for her, because her own uncle betrayed her. Gaara left Kakashi to go back to the others. He couldn't stop thinking about what had been said. Gaara watches her play in the water among the other students like she had no care in the world, laughing and joking around. She even got him to swim with her and splash around in the water. During that time Gaara would push his worries to the back of his mind, but when he saw the light in her face while she smiled and laughed he remembered that she was in danger and that that light would be squandered and put out. That's the last thing he wanted to happen to her.

Night came quickly and everyone was waiting for the meteor shower to start. Gaara follows Belle as she climbs up a tree to get a better view of the shower. She looks behind her at Gaara giving him a brilliant smile motioning for him to sit beside her. He couldn't deny her and sat beside her, to have her lean against him looking at the sky filled with millions of stars. The night wasn't anything new to Gaara but sharing it with her like this made it seem different. Until his worry for her came rushing back he was about to confront her with it until the sky filled with meteors.

"Gaara look! Isn't it wonderful?" Belle was smiling away her face filled with awe. Gaara saw that light again in her face and eyes. "What do you think meteors are Gaara?" Belle asks looking at her friend expectantly.

Gaara looks at Belle then at the sky seeing all the flecks of light shooting across the heavens then disappearing. "They're just rocks hurtling towards earth and burningup in the earth's atmosphere." was his answer to her question. It was true he had read it in a book somewhere. Gaara feels Belle giggle beside him her frame shaking lightly.

"I know that's what they are, but if you didn't know that what do you_ think _they would be?"

"Heaven's falling from the sky run away?" Gaara replied smirking a little while Belle laughed at his joke.

"I guess that's one way of seeing it, but I like what my mother told me once." She pauses while her eyes turn soft at the memory. "She told me that each falling meteor was a star that was once wished upon and when the person who wished upon that star stopped believing the wish never came true and the star falls. The stars never reach the earth because people everywhere tend to make a wish on a shooting star, giving it back it's strength and it accends back into the heavens to keep the wish safe until it comes true."

Gaara looks at the girl beside him seeing a mix between wisdom and innocence. Along with a precious light that gives her life in her yes. Gaara was determined not to let that light go out.

_**A/N sorry for the long wait and I had changed the plot for it because it developed differently than expected. Anyways hoped you liked it!**_


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